LI  BRARY    OF    . 


No 


Ghaf*l*a»*i  Kt»ne«t  Schwartz. 

3* 


John  Sv/ett 


TREATISE 

ON 

ENGLISH   PUNCTUATION; 

DESIGNED  FOR 

LETTER-\VRITEHS,    AUTHORS,    PRINTERS,    AND 
CORRECTORS    OF    THE    PRESS; 

AND   FOR 

THE   USE   OF  SCHOOLS  AND  ACADEMIES. 


an 

CONTAINING    ROLES    ON    THE    USE    OP    CAPITALS,    A    LIST    OF    ABBREVIATIONS 

HINTS  ON   THE  PREPARATION   OP  COPY  AND   ON  PROOF-READING, 

SPECIMEN   OF   PROOF-SHEET,    ETC. 


BY   JOHN    WILSON. 


THIRTIETH    EDITION. 


NEW  YOftK  •:•  CINCINNATI  •:•  CHICAGO: 

AMERICAN  BOOK  COMPANY. 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  J871,  by 

JOHN    WILSON, 

In  the  Office  of  the  Librarian  of  Congress  at  WashiugUm. 


fclnibrrsitn 
JOHN  V.'II.SUN  AND  SON,  CAMIUSUKJE. 


PREFACE  TO  THE  TWENTIETH  EDITION. 


IN  1826  an  edition  of  this  work,  designed  solely  for  printers, 
was  first  published.  In  1850  the  second  edition  appeared, 
greatly  enlarged,  and  designed  for  letter- writers,  authors, 
printers,  and  correctors  of  the  press. 

In  1855  the  author,  in  his  Preface  to  the  third  edition, 
says  :  «•  In  presenting  anew  the  following  treatise,  the  author 
would  say,  that,  agreeably  to  the  admission  contained  in  the 
closing  paragraph  of  the  Preface  to  the  second  edition,  lie 
has  embraced  the  opportunity  of  making  what  is  conceived 
to  be  further  improvements,  by  changing  occasionally  the 
modes  of  expression,  enlarging  the  remarks  and  exercises, 
rewriting  and  extending  the  section  on  compound  and  de 
rivative  words,  drawing  up  a  more  copious  list  of  abbrevia 
tions,  offering  to  young  authors  some  considerations  on  the 
preparation  of  *  copy/  arid  appending  a  full  and  minute 
Index.  He  feels  justified  in  affirming,  that  not  only  in  its 
present  form,  but  in  its  pant,  this  book  is  the  most  complete 
of  any  on  the  subject  that  he  has  seen." 

And  now,  three  years  after  the  author's  death,  this  edi 
tion —  the  twentieth —  is  offered  to  the  public,  in  the  hope 
fliat  it  may  still  continue  to  merit  the  approval  awarded  to 
former  editions. 


CAMBRIDGE.  Mass. 
1871. 


54! 656 


PREFACE  TO  THE  SECOND  EDITION. 


THE  work  that  follows  is  a  new  edition  of  one  published  by  the 
writer  in  England,  about  six  years  ago,  under  the  title  of  "  A  Trea 
tise  on  Grammatical  Punctuation;  "  the  difference  consisting,  not  in 
their  fundamental  principles,  but  in  the  mode  hi  which  these  are 
stated,  in  the  divisions  of  the  subjects  treated  of,  in  the  augmentation 
of  the  exercises,  and  m  the  insertion  of  matter  which  is  entirely 
new. 

The  proper  manner  of  using  the  book  will  depend  altogether  on 
the  capabilities  of  the  learner.  If  unversed  in  Punctuation,  or  but 
slightly  acquainted  with  the  art,  it  is  recommended,  that,  after  a 
careful  study  of  Sect.  II.  of  the  "  Introduction,"  he  confine  his 
attention  to  the  leading  principles  laid  down  in  the  definitions  and 
rules,  all  of  which  are  printed  hi  a  larger  character,  and  may  be 
readily  seen ;  and  also  to  their  illustrations,  which  are  given  under 
the  head  of  "  Examples  "  and  of  "  Oral  Exercises,"  —  in  that  por 
tion  which  applies  merely  to  the  rules.  When  he  has  gone  through 
this  course,  he  will  have  been  furnished  with  as  much  information 
as  will  enable  him  to  comprehend  the  exceptions  or  the  additional 
principles  contained  in  the  "  Remarks,"  and  to  explain  or  write  and 
punctuate  the  remaining  or  second  series  of  exercises  in  accordance 
both  with  the  rules  and  the  remarks. 

These  modes  of  studying  the  book,  it  is  conceived,  may  be 
advantageously  adopted  in  schools,  with  more  or  less  variation,  to 
suit  the  capacity  of  each  individual  hi  a  class.  The  Italic  lines, 
under  the  heads  termed  "  Exercises,"  are  mere  general  directions, 
which  the  teacher  may  modify  according  to  his  own  taste  and  judg 
ment.  But,  beyond  these  brief  hints,  the  writer  has  not  prescribed 
a* 


V\  PREFACE    TO    TIIE    SECOND    EDITION. 

any  questions  for  examination,  because  he  thinks  that  such  a  pro 
cedure,  common  us  it  is  in  elementary  books,  eithei  offers  a  premium 
to  sloth  and  ignorance  on  the  part  of  an  instructor,  or  implies  an 
insult  to  his  understanding  and  his  talents,  as  if  he  were  less  capable 
than  un  author  of  knowing  what  to  ask  of  those  under  his  charge. 

Though  written  in  a  manner  which  specially  adapts  it  to  instruc 
tion  in  schools,  the  work  is  also  designed  for  printers  and  private 
students,  all  of  whom  must  have  some  previous  acquaintance  with 
English  literature;  and  also  for  young  authors,  who  can  have  little 
difficulty  in  mastering  an  art  so  intimately  connected  with  their 
tastes  or  profession.  For  this  class  of  students,  the  exercises  termed 
"Oral"  will  be  found  peculiarly  serviceable;  tending,  as  they  do 
by  a  variety  of  examples,  to  impress  on  the  mind  the  practical 
applications  of  the  rules  and  remarks  to  which  they  refer. 

At  the  request  of  friends,  the  writer  has  introduced  into  the 
Appendix  a  short  article  on  Proof-reading,  the  insertion  of  which 
will,  he  trusts,  be  found  of  some  use  to  authors  and  printers,  if  not 
to  general  readers. 

With  respect  to  the  mode  in  which  the  work  has  been  executed, 
its  author  asks  no  indulgence  but  that  of  candor  and  good  feeling. 
He  has  ventured,  as  in  the  former  edition,  to  call  the  book  a  "  Trea 
tise,"  because  he  professes  to  have  gone  somewhat  thoroughly  into 
the  subject  with  which  it  deals;  but  he  does  not  flatter  himself,  that 
he  has  cleared  away  every  obstacle  which  has  beset  one  small  but 
requisite  pathway  to  literary  excellence.  On  the  contrary,  he  feels 
that  in  a  production  of  this  nature,  which  requires  so  much  expe 
rience  and  accuracy,  and  for  the  preparation  of  which  so  little  aid, 
comparatively  speaking,  can  be  derived  from  other  writers,  all  is  not 
yet  effected  that  can  be  done  to  simplify,  and  to  pnt  on  a  firm  basis, 
that  despised  but  useful  art,  —  the  art  of  Punctuation. 

BOSTON  May,  1850. 


CONTENTS. 


CHAP.  I.  —  INTRODUCTION. 

Paea 

SKOT.    I.  —  THE  IMPORTANCE  AND  USES  OF  CORRECT  PUNC 
TUATION     1 

SKOT.  II.  —  PLAN  OF  THE  WORK,  AND  DEFINITIONS  OF  THE 

TERMS  USED Id 


CHAP.  II.-  THE   GRAMMATICAL  POINTS. 

Introductory  Observations 26 

SECT.    I. THE    COMMA. 

Remarks  on  the  Use  of  the  Comma 27 

Two  Words,  of  the  same  Part  of  Speech,  connected  by  the 

Conjunctions  and,  or,  nor 28 

Two  Words,  of  the  same  Part  of  Speech,  not  connected  by  a 

Conjunction 83 

Series  of  Words  of  the  same  Part  of  Speech 87 

Words  or  Phrases  in  Apposition 41 

Words  or  Phrases  in  Contrast 45 

The  Subject  and  the  Predicate 60 

Relative  Pronouns  and  Relative  Clauses ,67 

Parenthetical  Phrases  and  Clauses  .  64 


Vlll  CONTENTS. 

ft«a 

Vocative  Words,  Phrases,  and  Clauses 68 

Adjectival,  Participial,  and  Absolute  Phrases 69 

Adverbs  and  Adverbial  Phrases 72 

Phrases  at  the  End  of  Sentences  or  Clauses 78 

Inverted  or  Transposed  Expressions 83 

One  Clause  depending  on  Another 89 

Correlative  Words,  Phrases,  and  Clauses 93 

Phrases  and  Clauses  in  the  same  Construction 98 

Clauses  having  a  Verb  understood 104 

Clauses  consisting  of  Short  Quotations  or  Remarks     ....  108 

Numeral  Figures  and  Words 113 

SECT.    II. THE    SEMICOLON. 

A  Sentence  consisting  of  Two  Conjoined  Clauses 118 

Expressions  divided  into  Simpler  Parts 116 

A  Series  of  Expressions  having  a  Common  Dependence  .    .    .  120 

Short  Sentences  slightly  Connected 126 

Lists  of  Words,  Phrases,  and  Numbers 128 

SECT.   III.  —  THE    COLON. 

Remarks  on  the  Use  and  Abuse  of  the  Colon 129 

Two  Clauses  not  joined  by  a  Conjunction 180 

Conjoined  Members  of  Sentences 134 

Quotations,  Remarks,  &c.,  formally  Introduced 138 

The  Chanting  Service  in  the  Liturgy 141 

Terms  in  the  Rule  of  Three 141 

Concluding  Remarks 141 

SECT.   IV. THE    PERIOD. 

Complete  and  Independent  Sentences 142 

Headings,  Subheads,  Phrases  in  Titlepages,  &c 147 


CONTENTS.  IX 

fcM» 

Names,  Titles,  and  other  Words,  abDreviated 148 

Marks  or  Figures  used  instead  of  Words 160 

Letters  used  for  Figures  or  Words 160 


CHAP,  in.  — THE  GRAMMATICAL  AND 
RHETORICAL  POINTS. 

Introductory  Observations 168 

SECT.   I. NOTES    OF    INTERROGATION    AND 

EXCLAMATION. 

Remarks  on  the  Notes  of  Interrogation  and  Exclamation      .    .  164 

Expressions  in  the  Form  of  Questions    ...             ....  166 

Expressions  indicating  Passion  or  Emotion 169 

SECT.   II. MARKS    OF    PARENTHESIS. 

Observations  on  Parentheses, and  Marks  of  Parenthesis    ...  167 

Words  thrown  obliquely  into  the  Body  of  a  Sentence  ....  168 

SECT.    III. THE    DASH. 

Remarks  on  the  Use  and  Abuse  of  the  Dash 174 

Broken  and  Epigrammatic  Sentences 176 

A  Concluding  Clause  on  which  other  Expressions  depend    .    .  178 

The  Echo,  or  Words  repeated  Rhetorically 182 

A  Parenthesis  coalescing  with  the  Main  Passage     .....  186 

Ellipsis  of  the  Adverb  •*  Namely,"  &c 191 

Subheads,  &c.,  to  Paragraphs 194 

Omission  of  Letters,  Figures,  or  Words 196 


X  CONTENTS. 

CHAP.  IV.  — LETTER,  SYLLABIC,  AND 
QUOTATION  POINTS. 

Pasu 
Introductory  Observations 197 

SECT.    I. THE    APOSTROPHE. 

Elision  of  Letters,  or  Shortening  of  Words 193 

The  Genitive  or  Possessive  Case 204 

SECT.    II. THE    HYPHEN. 

Remarks  on  the  Uses  of  the  Hyphen 208 

Compound  Words 209 

Prefixes  in  Derivative  Words 219 

The  Division  of  Words  into  Syllables,  according  to  their  Pro 
nunciation  224 

The  Division  of  Words  into  Syllables,  according  to  their  Form, 

Derivation,  or  Meaning 225 

SECT.    III. MARKS    OF    QUOTATION. 

Words  borrowed  from  a  Speaker  or  an  Author 228 

One  Quotation  within  Another 230 

Extracts  composed  of  Successive  Paragraphs 232 


CHAP.  V.  -  MISCELLANEOUS  MARKS. 

Brackets,  or  Crotchets 235 

A  Comma  Inverted;  Two  Commas 236 

The  Index,  or  Hand ;  Three  Stars ;  the  Caret ;  the  Brace      .    .  237 

Marks  of  Ellipsis;  Leaders 238 

Accents;  Marks  of  Quantity;  the  Cedilla;  the  Tilde  .     ...  239 

Murks  of  Reference 240 


CONTENTS. 


CHAP.  VI.  —  GENERAL  EXERCISES. 

I'ope. 

Introductory  Observations 241 

Pride  and  Humility,  by  Thomas  Brown 242 

Abou  Ben  Adhem,  by  Leigh  Hunt 244 

Panegyric  on  England,  by  Edward  Everett 246 

The  Pen  and  the  Press,  by  John  Critchley  Prince 247 

A  Taste  for  Reading,  by  George  S.  Hillard 248 

Relative  Perfection,  by  John  James  Tayler 260 

Labor  not  Lost,  by  R.  C.  Trench 251 

Ancient  and  Modern  Writers,  by  Charles  Sumner 262 

The  True  Source  of  Reform,  by  E.  H.  Chapin 258 

Great  Men  generally  Good,  by  John  Logan afi-i 


APPENDIX. 


UBKS  OF  CAPITAL  LETTERS 267 

The  First  Word  of  a  Book,  Tract,  &c 268 

The  First  Word  after  a  Full  Point 258 

Appellations  of  God  and  Christ 259 

Titles  of  Honor  and  Respect 261 

Names  of  Persons,  Places,  &c 262 

Nouns  and  Adjectives  derived  from  Proper  Names  ....  268 

Words  of  Primary  Importance 264 

The  Pronoun  /,  and  the  Interjection  0 266 

Commencement  of  Lines  in  Verse 268 

Prosopopoeia,  or  Personification 266 

Quotations,  Examples,  &c 267 

Capitals  used  instead  of  Figures 268 

Titlepages,  Inscriptions,  &c 268 


X  CONTENTS. 

e*e* 

ITALIC  CHARACTERS 260 

TERMS  RELATING  TO  BOOKS 270 

Captions,  Subheads,  Sideheads,  uad  Kuuning  Titles     ...  270 

Signatures 271 

Names  of  Various  Sizes  of  Books 271 

ABBREVIATIONS  AND  REPRESENTATIVE  LETTERS     ....  272 

Various  Modes  of  Forming  Abbreviations  .    , 272 

Table  of  Abbreviations 277 

MEDICAL  AND  MATHEMATICAL  SIGNS 801 

ASTRONOMICAL  CHARACTERS 802 

The  Twelve  Signs  of  the  Zodiao 802 

The  Planetary  Signs 802 

The  Lunar  Signs 802 

Aspects  of  the  Planeta 802 

HINTS  ON  PREPARING  COPY,  AND  ON  BEADING  PBOOF8   .    .  808 

EXPLANATION  OF  PROOF-MARKS 816 

SPECIMEN  OF  PROOF-SHEET 820 

IJT.EX 823 


ENGLISH    PUNCTUATION, .,.-. 


CHAPTER  L 

INTRODUCTION. 


SECT.  L  —  THE  IMPORTANCE  AND  USES  OF  CORRECT 
PUNCTUATION. 

No  one  will  hesitate  to  admit,  that  next  in  value  to  the 
capacity  of  discerning  or  discovering  truth,  and  of  feel 
ing  the  blessed  relations  which  we  sustain  to  the  Being 
who  made  us,  and  to  our  fellow-creatures,  particularly 
those  with  whom  we  are  more  immediately  connected, 
is  the  power  by  which  intelligence  and  emotion  are 
communicated  from  one  mind  to  another.  By  it  the 
great  and  the  gifted  of  past  times  have  bequeathed  to  us 
many  a  rich  legacy  of  thought  and  deed ;  and  by  it 
those  of  the  present  either  re-create  the  old  materials, 
or  fashion  new  ones,  for  the  delight  and  improvement 
of  their  own  generation ;  and  transmit  to  the  future  — 
to  beings  yet  unborn  —  their  treasures  of  wisdom,  of 
genius,  and  of  love.  This  power,  it  is  needless  to  say, 
is  language,  oral  and  written,  especially  the  latter. 

But  as  oral  speech  has  its  tones  and  inflections,  its 
pauses  and  its  emphases,  and  other  variations  of  voice, 
l 


2  INTRODUCTION. 

to  gJ,vfi  greater  expression  to  the  thoughts  which  spoken 
words  represent,  ^and  to  produce  on  the  mind  of  the 
keaarer.a  more  rapia  and  intense  impression  than  lifeless 
enunciation  could  effect ;  so  written  or  printed  language 
is  usually  accompanied  by  marks  or  points,  to  enable  the 
reader  to  comprehend  at  a  glance  the  precise  and  deter 
minate  sense  of  the  author,  —  a  sense  which,  without 
these  marks,  would  in  many  instances  be  gathered  only 
by  an  elaborate  and  painful  process,  and  very  often  be 
misunderstood.  It  therefore  obviously  follows,  that  the 
art  which  serves  to  elucidate  the  meaning  of  a  writer, 
to  bring  out  his  ideas  with  more  facility,  and  to  render 
his  expressions  a  genuine  transcript  of  the  feelings 
and  sentiments  which  he  would  convey  to  the  hearts 
and  the  minds  of  others,  is  entitled  to  no  small  degree 
of  attention. 

Now,  it  is  indisputable  that  Punctuation  does  conduce 
to  make  written  language  more  effective,  by  exhibiting 
with  greater  precision  and  definiteness  the  ideas,  feel 
ings,  and  emotions  of  an  author,  than  could  be  accom 
plished  by  a  mass  of  words,  however  well  chosen,  if 
brought  together  without  those  peculiar  marks  which 
show  the  multifarious  varieties  of  union  or  of  separa 
tion  existing  in  thought  and  expression.  For  what  is 
Punctuation,  and  what  its  aim?  It  is  the  art  of 
dividing  a  literary  composition  into  sentences,  and  parts 
of  sentences,  by  means  of  points,  for  the  purpose  of 
exhibiting  the  various  combinations,  connections,  and 
dependencies  of  words.  And  what  is  this  process  but 
a  means  of  facilitating  that  analysis  and  combination 
which  must  be  made,  consciously  or  unconsciously, 
before  we  can  penetrate  to  the  very  core  of  an  author'^ 


THE    IMl'OKTANCE    OF    PUNCTUATION. 

thoughts,  and  appropriate  them  as  food  for  the  life  and 
growth  of  our  own  minds  ? 

We  would  not  overrate  the  importance  of  Punctua 
tion,  or  deny  that  many  subjects  are  worthy  of  a  higher 
regard,  and  have  a  more  immediate  and  vital  influence 
on  the  well-being  of  society.  But  we  would  emphati 
cally  say,  that  this  subject  ought  to  be  understood  by 
all  who  are  led,  by  the  bent  of  their  tastes,  the  force  of 
their  genius,  or  their  condition  in  life,  to  enter  upon  any 
of  the  walks  of  literature,  whether  they  would  tread  an 
humble  and  a  beaten  track,  or  wander  into  paths  adorned 
by  flowers  and  fruit.  It  is  related  to  philology  and 
metaphysics,  and  indeed,  more  or  less,  to  every  science 
or  art  communicated  by  the  instrumentality  of  written 
language.  It  is  intimately  connected  with  the  principles 
of  grammar ;  subservient  to  the  purposes  of  syntax ; 
essential  to  the  clearing-up  of  ambiguities,  which  so 
often  obscure  composition ;  and  useful  to  the  more 
ready  understanding  even  of  those  sentences  whose 
construction  is  not  liable  to  the  charge  of  obscurity.  By 
the  omission  or  the  improper  insertion  of  points,  not  only 
would  the  beauties  and  elegances  of  literature,  but  even 
its  advantages,  be  faintly  discerned  and  enjoyed,  except 
by  the  most  attentive  readers,  or  by  men  of  superior 
taste  and  information  :  the  sense  of  even  the  more  simple 
and  familiar  class  of  productions  —  such  as  the  narra 
tive,  the  essay,  or  the  epistle  —  would  be  liable  to  be 
misapprehended,  or,  at  least,  to  be  imperfectly  under 
stood.  Indeed,  the  perusal  of  a  single  page  of  any 
work  will  bear  testimony  to  the  comparative  value  of  a 
just  punctuation.  Nay,  scarcely  can  a  sentence  be 
perused  with  satisfaction  or  interest,  unless  pointed  with 


4  INTRODUCTION. 

Borne  degree  of  accuracy.  The  well-known  speech  of 
Norval,  for  instance,  in  the  tragedy  of  "  Douglas,"  may, 
by  an  erroneous  use  of  the  pauses,  be  delivered  in  such 
a  manner  as  to  pervert  or  destroy  the  meaning  ;  as,  — 

"  My  name  is  Norval  on  the  Grampian  hills. 
My  father  feeds  his  tlock  a  frugal  swain ; 
Whose  constant  cares  were  to  increase  his  store. 

We  fought  and  conquered  ere  a  sword  was  drawn. 
An  arrow  from  my  bow,  had  pierced  their  chief 
Who  wore  that  day  the  arms  which  now  I  wear." 

But  the  insertion  of  the  right  stops  will  restore  the  sense 
of  these  passages,  and  render  them  conformable  to  the 
conceptions  of  the  dramatist :  — 

"  My  name  is  Norval.    On  the  Grampian  hills 
My  father  feeds  his  flock ;  a  frugal  swain, 
Whose  constant  cares  were  to  increase  his  store. 

We  fought  and  conquered.     Ere  a  sword  was  drawn. 
An  arrow  from  my  bow  had  pierced  their  chief, 
Who  wore,  that  day,  the  anus  which  now  I  wear."  * 

Notwithstanding,  however,  its  utility,  Punctuation 
has  not  received  that  attention  which  its  importance 
demands.  Considered  merely  as  the  plaything  of  the 
pedant,  or  as  the  peculiar  function  of  the  printer,  it  is 
often  neglected  or  perverted  by  those  who  have  occasion 
to  present  to  the  eye  either  their  own  thoughts  or  the 
thoughts  of  others.  The  man  of  science,  the  mental 
philosopher,  and  the  philologist  seem  to  regard  it  as  too 

*  In  the  note  at  the  end  of  this  section,  page  18,  will  be  found  a  few  other 
Instances  of  erroneous  pointing,  which,  though  in  their  nature  sufficiently 
ludicrous,  show  in  a  forcible  manner  the  necessity  of  paying  a  due  regard  to 
punctuation.  Many  happy  illustrations  of  the  importance  of  correct  marks 
may  also  be  seen  in  Day's  valuable  little  work,  entitled  "  Punctuation  reduced 
to  a  System,"  pp.  33 — 45. 


THE    IMPORTANCE    OF    PUNCTUATION.  5 

trifling,  amid  their  grander  researches  into  the  laws  of 
the  universe,  the  internal  operations  of  the  human  mind, 
and  its  external  workings  by  means  of  language.  The 
grammarian  passes  it  by  altogether  unheeded,  or  lays 
down  a  few  general  and  abstract  principles  ;  leaving  the 
pupil  to  surmount  the  difficulties  of  the  art  as  well  as 
he  may.  The  lawyer  engrosses  in  a  character  which 
is  perfectly  legible ;  but,  by  its  deficiency  in  sentential 
marks,  it  often  proves,  like  the  laws  of  which  he  is  the 
expounder,  "  gloriously  uncertain  "  as  to  the  meaning 
intended  to  be  expressed.  The  painter,  the  engraver, 
and  the  lithographer  appear  to  set  all  rules  at  defiance, 
by  either  omitting  the  points  or  misplacing  them,  when 
required  in  certain  departments  of  their  work.  The  let 
ter-writer,  with  his  incessant  and  indiscriminate  dashes, 
puts  his  friend,  his  beloved  one,  his  agent,  or  his  em 
ployer,  to  a  little  more  trouble,  in  conning  over  his 
epistle,  than  is  absolutely  necessary.  Even  the  author 
—  who,  of  all  writers,  ought  to  be  the  most  accurate  — 
not  unfrequently  puts  his  manuscript  into  the  printer's 
hands,  either  destitute  of  grammatical  points,  or  so 
badly  punctuated  as  to  create  a  needless  loss  of  time  tc 
the  compositor. 

But  though  an  acquaintance  with  the  principles  of  the 
art  in  question  has  been  deemed  the  peculiar  province 
of  the  printer,  who  might  therefore  be  expected  to  have 
the  requisite  qualifications  for  the  performance  of  his 
task ;  yet  it  must  be  admitted,  that  from  the  press  are 
issued  many  books,  grossly  erroneous  in  sentential 
marks ;  and  perhaps  not  a  few,  which,  though  distin 
guished  for  elegance  of  style,  accuracy  of  orthography, 
or  beauty  of  printing,  are  unworthy  of  being  held  up 


6  INTRODUCTION. 

as  models  of  good  taste  and  judgment  in  the  use  of 
points.  It  is  a  fact  well  known  to  those  connected  with 
the  press,  that  compositors  in  general  have  a  very 
deficient  knowledge  of  Punctuation,  considered  as  a 
branch  of  science ;  and  that  they  acquire  what  they  do 
know  of  it  as  an  art,  chiefly  by  mechanical  habit,  or  by 
the  correction  of  innumerable  blunders,  marked  on  the 
proof-sheets. 

To  make  these  observations,  however,  without  grant 
ing  many  exceptions,  would  savor  more  of  the  petulance 
of  presumption  than  of  the  candor  of  true  criticism. 
There  are  numerous  masterpieces  of  composition,  in 
which  the  writer,  the  compositor,  and  the  corrector  of 
the  press,  have,  either  separately  or  together,  inserted 
points  with  taste  and  propriety. 

But  enough  has  been  said  to  demonstrate  the  necessity 
for  an  increased  attention  to  the  subject,  and  to  prove  a 
very  obvious,  though  not  an  acknowledged,  truth,  that 
the  principles  of  Punctuation  must  be  duly  learned, 
before  they  can  be  understood,  or  brought  into  system 
atic  and  perfect  use.  The  question,  then,  will  naturally 
arise,  How  is  the  desired  improvement  to  be  effected  ? 
how  are  the  theory  and  practice  of  the  art  to  be  attained  ? 
We  answer,  By  the  most  simple  means ;  by  the  very 
means  which  are  so  well  adapted  to  other  subjects  of 
learning.  Let  Punctuation  form  a  branch  of  academi 
cal  instruction ;  let  it  be  studied,  after  a  competent 
knowledge  of  English  etymology  and  syntax  has  been 
acquired ;  let  the  rules  be  thoroughly  comprehended  by 
the  pupil,  —  be  explained  to  him,  if  necessary,  in  the 
teacher's  language,  and  re-explained  by  himself  in  his 
own  words.  Let  him  also  write  copious  exercises,  in 


THE  IMPORTANCE  OF  PUNCTUATION.        7 

order  to  bring  into  further  play  his  judgment  and  taste  ; 
and  let  him  present  to  his  teacher  these  trials  of  his 
skill,  to  be  examined  and  approved  or  corrected.  By 
this  means  will  he  soon  be  capable  of  so  punctuating 
his  own  compositions  as  to  be  read  by  others  with  ease, 
pleasure,  and  advantage. 

This  is  an  age  of  authors,  as  well  as  of  readers. 
Young  aspirants  after  fame,  some  of  them  of  considera 
ble  merit,  meet  us  at  every  step,  and  in  every  department 
of  literature.  But  surely,  if  they  are  capable  of  enlight 
ening  the  world  by  their  wisdom,  or  dazzling  it  by  their 
genius,  they  can  have  no  difficulty  in  writing  so  as  to  be 
understood.  If  they  have  thoughts  worthy  of  being 
communicated  through  the  agency  of  the  pen  and  the 
press,  they  surely  cannot  with  justice  regard  it  as  any 
degradation  of  their  powers  to  submit  to  the  task  of 
indicating,  as  accurately  as  possible,  what  they  do  really 
intend  to  say.  If  there  is  beauty  in  their  style ;  if  there 
is  pathos  in  their  sentiments  ;  if  tnere  is  moral  and  intel 
lectual  vigor  in  the  thoughts  that  burn  for  utterance  ;  if 
their  discourse  is  calculated  to  refine  the  taste,  to  improve 
the  heart,  and  ennoble  the  mind,  of  the  reader,  —  surely 
they  should  be  careful  that  that  beauty  be  not  marred, 
that  that  pathos  be  not  unfelt,  that  that  vigor  be  not 
weakened,  that  that  discourse  be  not  shorn  of  half  its 
power  over  the  character  and  happiness  of  others,  from 
the  petty  motive  of  saving  themselves  the  trouble  of 
learning  what,  of  all  men,  from  the  very  nature  of  their 
pursuits,  they  are  the  best  able  and  most  bound  to  learn. 
Besides,  it  is  worthy  of  remark,  that,  by  habituating 
themselves  to  the  practice  of  pointing,  their  attention 
will  naturally  be  directed  to  clearness  of  thought,  and 


8  INTRODUCTION. 

accuracy  of  expression.  They  will  be  more  apt  to 
regard  words  as  but  of  little  value,  except  as  repre 
sentatives  of  ideas,  and  as  an  instrument  by  which  these 
may  gain  access  to  the  human  soul.  If  involved  in  the 
difficulty  of  punctuating  a  badly  formed  sentence,  such 
as  the  following,  "  God  heapeth  favors  on  his  servants 
ever  liberal  and  faithful,"  —  supposing  this  to  imply  that 
the  Divine  Being  is  ever  liberal  and  faithful,  —  they 
will  almost  necessarily  be  led  to  reconstruct  it,  that 
they  may  rid  themselves  of  their  perplexity,  and  leave 
no  doubt  as  to  the  sense  meant  to  be  conveyed ;  for, 
beyond  all  question,  facility  in  punctuation  is  generally 
in  proportion  to  the  perspicuity  and  the  good  arrange 
ment  of  words.  Let  authors,  therefore,  turn  a  little  of 
their  attention  to  the  elements  of  this  art,  trifling  and 
undignified  as  it  may  seem  to  be.  Let  them  not  trans 
fer  to  their  printer  that  department  of  duty  which  as 
authors  it  is  their  own  province  to  fill.  With  some  few 
boasted  exceptions,  no  doubt  much  overrated,  neither 
compositors  nor  correctors  of  the  press  are  immaculate ; 
for  they  do  not  understand  all  the  subjects  treated  of  in 
books,  and  cannot  with  accuracy  punctuate  what  they 
do  not  comprehend. 

It  was  in  bygone  times  a  preliminary  requisite,  that 
printers  should  be  acquainted  with  what  are  termed  the 
learned  languages.  But  though,  in  this  age  of  a  more 
general  and  superficial  literature,  a  profound  knowledge 
of  Hebrew  points,  Greek  accents,  and  Latin  quantities, 
is  no  longer  required,  it  is  necessary  that  compositors 
be  acquainted  with  the  principles  of  their  native  tongue, 
and  with  the  functions  of  the  peculiar  marks  used  for 
setting  off  sentences,  clauses,  and  phrases.  Were  every 


THE    IMl'OltTANCK    OF    PUNCTUATION.  9 

author  to  write  his  work  in  a  fair,  legible  character, 
and  so  punctuate  his  language  as  to  convey  the  sense 
clearly  and  correctly,  then  might  compositors  act  as 
mere  machines,  and  "  follow  "  their  "  copy."  But,  until 
writers  for  the  press  condescend  to  use  the  stops  system 
atically  and  accurately,  the  humble  workmen  who  put 
together  the  world-enlightening  types  must  be  more  than 
unconscious  machines :  they  must,  to  some  degree,  enter 
into  the  conceptions  of  those  on  whose  works  they  are 
employed,  and  develop  the  sense  of  their  manuscripts, 
with  the  greatest  possible  discrimination,  by  the  help 
and  service  of  the  poor,  despised,  but  useful  handmaids, 
—  the  commas,  the  semicolons,  and  other  little  points. 
We  know  well  the  feeling  which  very  naturally  and  pro 
perly  exists  in  the  minds  of  compositors,  that  the  "  copy  " 
put  into  their  hands  should  be  prepared  with  an  accuracy 
which  would  preclude  the  necessity,  on  their  part,  of 
losing  time  by  pondering  over  the  manuscript  in  order 
to  render  it  intelligible  to  the  reading  public.  But  this 
we  know  also,  that,  in  the  actual  state  of  things,  the  time 
thus  apparently  lost  is,  when  employed  aright,  a  com 
parative  gain,  by  reason  of  the  far  greater  consumption 
of  unprofitable  labor  in  the  insertion  and  extraction  of 
points,  after  the  proof-sheet  has  been  returned  by  the 
corrector  of  the  press.  If  the  manuscript  be  defective 
or  erroneous  in  its  sentential  marks,  the  compositor  must 
either  take  a  little  trouble  in  pointing  it  himself,  or  have 
it  done  for  him  afterwards  by  the  proof-reader,  to  the 
serious  diminution  of  his  professional  character,  his  good 
temper,  and  his  weekly  wages.  But,  further,  we  would 
ask,  Is  not  the  operative  who  comprehends  the  principles 
of  his  calling,  —  who  really  knows  what  he  is  about,  — • 


10  INTRODUCTION. 

a  happier  and  a  nobler  being  than  he  who  works  at  mere 
random,  and  stumbles  at  every  petty  obstruction  in  his 
way  ?  Does  not  his  daily  toil  become  a  pleasure,  when 
it  brings  into  play  the  exercise  of  a  fine  taste  and  a 
cultivated  understanding?  Do  not  his  very  difficulties 
become  a  source  of  satisfaction,  when  he  himself  can 
solve  them,  without  being  forced  for  ever  to  ask  the  aid 
of  his  fellow-workmen,  or  to  submit  to  the  painful  pro 
cess  of  undoing  what  he  has  already  done,  —  of  altering 
and  improving  what  he  has  ignorantly  and  blunderingly 
executed  ?  Do  not,  indeed,  these  difficulties  become 
less  and  less,  the  more  frequently  he  is  successful  in 
removing  them?  Does  he  not,  by  his  endeavors  to 
perform  his  work  in  a  skilful  manner,  acquire  habits  of 
discrimination,  that  will  enable  him,  in  cases  at  which 
others  would  fret  and  foam  or  idly  stand,  to  see,  as  it 
were  intuitively,  the  very  thing  required,  and  the  mode 
in  which  it  should  be  done  ?  These  questions  may  be 
asked  in  relation  to  manual  labor  of  any  kind.  They 
may  be  asked,  too,  in  respect  to  all  the  branches  of 
work  in  which  a  compositor  may  be  engaged.  But 
they  are  put  here  chiefly  in  reference  to  his  knowledge 
and  appliance  of  the  art  of  Punctuation;  and  we  feel 
assured,  that,  if  desirous  of  being  able  to  insert  points 
with  skill  and  propriety,  lie  will  also  aim  to  perform 
well  all  the  duties  pertaining  to  his  sphere  of  toil.  If, 
therefore,  the  compositor  would  lose  as  little  as  possible 
of  that  time  which  is  so  valuable  to  him ;  if  he  would 
have  at  his  command  greater  pecuniary  resources  than 
he  can  have  by  ignorance  of  his  art,  or  by  habits  of 
carelessness ;  if,  by  the  exercise  of  his  intellectual 
powers,  he  would  deprive  physical  toil  of  no  small  share 


THE  IMPORTANCE  OF  PUNCTUATION.      11 

of  its  pain  or  lassitude,  —  let  him,  if  now  ignorant  of 
the  subject,  never  rest  contented  till  he  is  able  both  to 
understand  the  principles  on  which  Punctuation  is  based, 
and  to  bring  them  into  full  practice. 

The  remarks  just  made  have  the  strongest  claim  on 
th«  attention  of  youths  learning  the  art  of  type-setting ; 
many  of  whom,  stimulated  by  a  love  of  change  or  by 
false  views  of  independence,  soon  break  loose  from 
those  steady  and  regular  habits  which  are  necessary 
for  mastering  the  difficulties  of  any  occupation  ;  moving 
about  from  one  employer  to  another,  without  having  a 
disposition  or  sufficient  time  to  attain  a  knowledge  even 
of  the  first  principles  of  the  craft  by  which  they  are  to 
earn  a  living.  But  if  desirous  of  perfecting  themselves 
in  the  various  branches  of  typography,  one  of  which  we 
have  shown  to  be  the  art  of  Punctuation,  it  is  of  the 
greatest  moment  that  they  resolve  to  remain  with  a 
person  whom  they  can  regard  as  a  friend  as  well  as 
an  employer ;  and  receive  from  him,  or  at  their  leisure 
hours  from  the  study  of  books  designed  for  the  purpose, 
such  instruction  as  will  conduce  to  their  improvement, 
and  render  them,  when  of  age,  competent  to  discharge, 
with  honor  to  themselves  and  with  satisfaction  to  others, 
the  duties  pertaining  to  their  profession. 

If  a  knowledge  of  Punctuation  is  admitted  to  be 
requisite  to  the  setter  of  types,  there  will  be  the  utmost 
reason  for  regarding  it  as  indispensable  to  a  reader  of 
proof-sheets.  Besides  the  multiform  duties  devolving 
on  or  expected  from  him, — of  correcting  and  improving 
the  work  of  compositors,  which  is  seldom,  if  ever,  a 
faithful  representation  of  the  "  copy ; "  of  rectifying  the 
orthography  of  inexperienced  writers,  and  drawing 


12  INTRODUCTION. 

the  attention  of  others  to  errors  in  grammar  and  con 
struction,  into  which  the  most  accurate  will  sometime? 
fall,  —  the  professional  corrector  is  generally  required 
in  the  existing  state  of  authorship,  to  devote  a  great 
part  of  his  attention  to  the  proper  insertion  of  points, 
and  thus  to  present  to  the  public  eye  in  a  readable  con 
dition  what  would  otherwise  be  an  ill-digested  mass  of 
letters  and  words.  When  it  is  considered  that  he  has 
not  unfrequently  to  perform  this  task  amid  doubts  and 
difficulties  arising  from  manuscript  almost  illegible,  it 
will  be  seen  how  necessary  it  is  for  correctors  of  the 
press  to  possess  that  kind  of  knowledge  which  is  so 
easily  within  their  reach,  and  which  at  present  forms  an 
essential  and  a  peculiar  feature  of  their  calling,  —  an 
accurate  knowledge  of  the  theory  and  practice  of  Punc 
tuation.  It  would  not  be  right  to  expect  from  them, 
even  if  they  were  better  remunerated,  perfect  accuracy 
in  their  work ;  but,  so  long  as  they  hold  so  responsible 
a  situation,  their  ignorance  of  this  branch  of  their  pro 
fession  should  be  regarded  as  inexcusable. 

It  may  be,  and  has  been,  objected  to  the  study  of  this 
art,  that  it  is  not  subject  to  any  fixed  or  determinate 
principles;  that  scarcely  two  writers  follow  the  same 
mode  of  punctuating  sentences.  Where  one  author  or 
printer  uses  a  comma,  another  would  insert  a  semi 
colon  ;  and,  where  one  thinks  a  semicolon  ought  to  be 
employed,  another  prefers  a  colon,  if  not  a  comma.  One 
teacher  embarrasses  the  learner  with  an  additional  pause 
(the  semicomma),  by  giving  it  "  a  local  habitation  and  a 
name ; "  while  a  different  one  discards  the  colon  alto 
gether  as  a  useless  point  Some  grammarians  would 


THE  IMPORTANCE  OF  PUNCTUATION.      13 

unfeelingly  lop  off  the  dash,  as  an  excrescence  on  a 
printed  leaf;  but  others,  again,  are  so  partial  to  its 
form  and  use  as  to  call  in  its  aid  on  every  possible 
occasion. 

The  objection  has,  on  purpose,  been  strongly  stated. 
But  might  not  similar  objections  be  adduced  against  the 
orthography,  the  etymology,  and  the  syntax  of  the  Eng 
lish  language;  against,  indeed,  the  general  principles 
of  English  Grammar  ?  Might  it  not  be  demonstrated, 
that  grammarians  and  lexicographers  differ  in  spelling, 
in  pronunciation,  in  the  classification  of  the  parts  of 
speech,  in  modes  of  derivation  and  of  construction,  and 
in  the  position  of  relatives  and  adverbs  ?  Might  not  a 
plausible  treatise  be  written  against  grammatical  prin 
ciples,  —  as  plausible,  but  just  as  illogical  and  uncon 
vincing,  as  are  the  common  and  startling  objections 
against  a  system  of  Punctuation?  Might  it  not  be 
shown,  that  Johnson  and  Lowth,  Blair,  Murray,  and 
Crombie,  have  attacked  the  dicta  of  others,  and  have 
had  their  own  attacked  in  turn  ?  Might  it  not  be  proved, 
that  kings  and  queens,  statesmen  and  historians,  poets 
and  essayists,  nay,  even  professed  grammarians,  have 
written  false  English,  and  violated  the  most  generally 
acknowledged  canons  of  syntax  ?  But  surely  it  would 
not  be  a  fair  conclusion  to  draw,  from  this  diversity  of 
opinion  and  from  the  employment  of  inelegant  or  incon 
gruous  English,  that  there  are  no  determinate  principles 
in  the  language ;  that  there  is  no  authority  to  which  an 
appeal  can  be  made ;  that  authors  may  send  forth  their 
compositions  into  the  world,  without  any  regard  what 
ever  to  law  or  usage.  Neither  is  it.  we  contend,  a 
legitimate  conclusion,  that,  because  some  writers  dis 


14  INTRODUCTION. 

agree  in  their  system  of  pauses,  and  others  point  theij 
works  at  random,  therefore  Punctuation  is  too  trifling  to 
demand  serious  attention,  —  too  unsettled  to  be  treated 
as  a  branch  of  science,  or  practised  with  any  degree  of 
uniformity  as  an  art. 

The  writer,  then,  of  the  present  work  can  have  no 
hesitation  in  asserting,  that  the  art  of  Punctuation  is  not 
more  varied  or  changeable  in  its  character  than  that  of 
composition  ;  and  that  its  essential  principles  are  as  fixed 
and  determinate  as  those  canons  in  syntax,  which,  though 
sometimes  violated  by  our  best  authors,  are  universally 
acknowledged  to  be  indisputable.  Diversities  in  the 
application  of  these  principles  will  no  more  prove  that 
modes  of  punctuating  sentences  are  altogether  arbitrary, 
than  diversities  in  styles  of  composition  will  demonstrate 
that  the  labors  of  grammarians  to  ascertain  the  laws  of 
language  must  go  for  nought,  and  that  every  writer 
may  take  whatever  liberties  he  chooses,  in  opposition  to 
reputable  usage.  As  various  modes  of  expressing  a 
thought  may  be  justifiably  used,  when  they  do  not  affect 
the  principles  of  grammar ;  though,  as  respects  beauty, 
elegance,  or  force,  one  mode  may  be  preferable  to 
another:  so  also  different  methods  of  pointing  a  sen 
tence  may  be  allowable,  when  they  do  not  violate  the 
fundamental  laws  of  Punctuation  ;  though  they  may  be 
objectionable  or  otherwise,  just  as  they  are  less  or  more 
calculated  to  please  the  eye,  and  bring  out  the  sense  of 
the  passage. 

Perhaps  one  reason  why  Punctuation  has  been  gene 
rally  undervalued  or  neglected  is,  that  grammarians  have 
devoted  so  little  of  their  attention  to  the  subject.  The 
books,  too,  professedly  written  to  elucidate  its  principles, 


THE    IMPORTANCE    OF    PUNCTUATION.  15 

are,  so  far  as  have  been  observed  by  the  writer  of  the 
present  work,  deficient  either  in  an  explanation  of 
exceptions  and  difficulties  ;  in  examples  and  exercises  ; 
or  in  rules  and  remarks,  illustrative  of  the  diversified 
functions  of  the  notes  of  interrogation  and  exclamation, 
the  marks  of  parenthesis,  the  dash,  the  apostrophe,  the 
hyphen,  and  the  quotation-marks.  For  though  these 
may  be  regarded  as  minor  points,  when  compared  to 
others  of  a  more  grammatical  nature,  yet  they  occur  so 
frequently  that  no  work  on  Punctuation  which  passes 
them  over  with  only  a  few  brief  and  hasty  remarks  can 
be  considered  practically  and  generally  useful. 

Another  cause  of  the  neglect  and  misapprehension  to 
which  correct  Punctuation  is  subject,  arises  probably 
from  the  false  light  in  which  it  is  regarded.  Many  per 
sons  seem  to  consider  points  as  being  the  representatives 
only  of  rhetorical  pauses ;  as  showing  merely  those 
places,  in  the  utterance  of  a  composition,  at  which  time 
for  breathing  is  required ;  as  indicating  the  definite  pro 
portions  of  the  stops  made  in  reading  aloud.  Hence  not 
a  few  writers  and  authors  point  their  manuscript  exactly 
as  they  would  recite  it,  in  accordance  with  their  power 
of  enunciation,  with  the  quickness  or  slowness  of  their 
perceptions,  or  with  their  particular  views  as  to  the 
influence  of  pauses  on  the  minds  of  their  hearers.  Elo 
cutionists  themselves  disagree  in  respect  to  the  precise 
cessations  of  the  voice  winch  should  be  made  in  delivery. 
Granting,  however,  that  there  were  no  differences  of 
opinion  on  this  subject,  and  that  all  good  speakers  would 
make  the  same  pauses  in  the  reading  of  any  given  dis 
course,  it  might  even  then  be  easily  shown,  that  the  points 
in  common  use  would  not  be  sufficient  for  rhetorical 


16  INTRODUCTION. 

purposes ;  and  that,  if  thus  employed,  they  would  tend, 
by  the  necessity  of  perpetually  repeating  them,  and  the 
consequent  minute  separations  of  words  and  phrases, 
rather  to  perplex  the  judgment  of  the  reader,  than  to 
facilitate  his  comprehension  of  the  writer's  meaning. 
Let  us  suppose,  for  instance,  that  the  following  passage 
were  so  punctuated  as  to  correspond  in  some  measure 
with  the  peculiar  notation  adopted  by  Mr.  Vandenhoff, 
in  his  excellent  work  on  the  "  Art  of  Elocution,"  pp.  73, 
74,  and  with  the  real  pauses  demanded  by  an  accurate 
and  effective  delivery,  it  would  stand  thus :  — 

"  Men  of  superior  genius ;  while  they  see  the  rest  of  mankind,  painfully 
struggling,  to  comprehend  obvious  truths;  glance,  themselves,  through  the 
most  remote  consequences;  like  lightning,  through  a  path,  that  cannot  be 
traced ;  they  see  the  beauties  of  nature,  with  light  and  warmth,  and  paint, 
them  forcibly,  without  effort ;  as  the  morning  sun,  does  the  scenes  he  rises 
upon ;  and,  in  several  instances,  communicate  to  objects,  a  morning  fresh 
ness,  and  unaccountable  lustre,  that  is  not  seen  in  the  creations  of  nature 
The  poet,  the  statuary,  the  painter,  have  produced  images,  that  left  nature  far 
behind." 

But  let  the  same  sentence  be  punctuated  by  the  rules 
of  grammar,  and  not  by  those  of  rhetoric,  and  with  the 
sole  view  of  indicating  the  sense  of  the  passage,  it  would 
appear  as  follows  :  — 

'*  Men  of  superior  genius,  while  they  see  the  rest  of  mankind  painfully 
struggling  to  comprehend  obvious  truths,  glance  themselves  through  the  most 
remote  consequences,  like  lightning  through  a  path  that  cannot  be  traced. 
They  see  the  beauties  of  nature  with  light  and  warmth,  and  paint  them  for 
cibly  without  effort,  as  the  morning  sun  does  the  scenes  he  risps  upon;  and. 
In  several  instances,  communicate  to  objects  a  morning  freshness  and  unac 
countable  lustre  that  is  not  seen  in  the  creations  of  nature.  The  poet,  the 
statuary,  the  painter,  have  produced  images  that  left  nature  far  behind." 

By  comparing  the  two  mod^s  of  punctuation  adopted  in 
the  passage  under  notice,  —  namely,  the  rhetorical  or 


THE  IMPORTANCE  OF  PUNCTUATION.       17 

close,  and  the  grammatical  or  free,  —  it  will  be  obvious, 
that,  while  the  latter  tends  to  elucidate  the  aim  of  the 
writer,  and  to  some  extent  assist  the  delivery,  the  for 
mer  throws  nothing  but  obscurity  on  his  meaning ;  and, 
though  showing  the  various  pauses  of  the  voice  with 
greater  accuracy,  imparts  no  information  whatever  on 
matters  which  in  delivery  are  as  important,  —  the  inflec 
tions,  the  intonations,  the  emphases,  the  calm,  equable 
flow,  or  the  wild  torrent,  of  a  good  reader  or  an  eloquent 
speaker. 

That  grammatical  and  rhetorical  punctuation  are  not 
one  and  the  same,  is  acknowledged  by  the  best  elocu 
tionists.  Thus  the  writer  just  quoted  says,*  that  "the 
grammatical  pauses,  which  are  addressed  to  the  eye  of 
the  reader,  are  insufficient  for  the  speaker,  who  addresses 
himself  to  the  understanding '  through  the  porches  of  the 
ear.' . . .  We  have,  therefore,  rhetorical  pauses,  which  are 
independent  of,  though  consistent  with  and  assistant  to. 
the  grammatical  pauses." 

It  must,  however,  be  admitted  that  some  of  the 
points  —  namely,  the  mark  of  admiration  and  of  excla 
mation,  the  parenthesis,  and  the  dash  —  partake  more 
of  a  rhetorical  character  than  the  common  and  principal 
points ;  and  in  this  light  we  will  consider  them  in  the 
following  pages.  But,  on  the  whole,  it  will  be  found 
that  the  art  of  Punctuation  is  founded  rather  on  gram 
mar  than  on  rhetoric  ;  that  its  chief  aim  is  to  unfold 
the  meaning  of  sentences,  with  the  least  trouble  to  the 
reader ;  and  that  it  aids  the  delivery,  only  in  so  far  as 
it  tends  to  bring  out  the  sense  of  the  writer  to  the  best 
advantage. 

*  "  Art  of  Elocution,"  p.  68. 


18  INTRODUCTION. 


NOTES 


ILLUSTRATING    THE   VALUE  OF   CORRECT   PUNCTUATION. 


1.  The  following  request  is  said  to  have  been  made  at  church :  "  A 
tailor  going  to  sea,  his  wife  desires  the  prayers  of  the  congregation 
for  his  safety."     But,  by  an  unhappy  transposition  of  the  comma, 
the  note  was  thus  read:  "A  sailor,  going  to  see  his  wife,  desires  the 
orayers  of  the  congregation  for  his  safety." 

2.  A  blacksmith,  passing  by  a  hair-dresser's  shop,  observed  in  the 
window  an  unpointed  placard,  which  he  read  as  follows:  — 

"  What  do  you  think  ?  — 
I'll  shave  you  for  nothing, 
Aud  give  you  some  drink." 

The  son  of  Vulcan,  with  a  huge  black  beard  on  his  chin  and  a  little 
spark  in  his  throat,  considered  the  opportunity  too  good  to  be  lost. 
He  accordingly  entered;  and,  after  the  operation  had  been  duly  per 
formed,  asked,  with  the  utmost  sang  froid,  for  the  liquor.  But  the 
shaver  of  beards  demanded  payment;  when  the  smith,  in  a  stentorian 
voice,  referred  him  to  his  own  placard,  which  the  barber  very  good- 
humoredly  produced,  and  read  thus :  — 

"  What!  do  you  think 
I'll  shave  you  for  nothing, 
And  give  you  some  drink?  " 

8.  Another  example  of  the  ludicrous  will  tend  still  better  to  show 
the  value  of  just  punctuation:  — 

"  Every  lady  in  this  land 
Hath  twenty  nails  upon  each  hand ; 
Five  and  twenty  on  hands  and  feet. 
And  this  is  true,  without  deceit." 

If  the  present  points  be  removed,  and  others  inserted  as  follow  the 
true  meaning  of  the  passage  will  at  once  appear:  — 

"  Every  lady  in  this  land 
Hath  twenty  nails :  upon  each  hand 
Five ;  and  twenty  on  hands  and  feet. 
And  this  is  true,  without  deceit." 


PLAN    OF    THE    WORK.  19 


SECT.  II.  —PLAN  OF  THE  WORK,  AND  DEFINITIONS 
OF  THE  TERMS  USED. 

In  the  preceding  section,  Punctuation  was  defined  to 
be  the  art  of  dividing  a  written  or  printed  discourse 
into  sentences,  and  parts  of  sentences,  by  means  of 
certain  marks  called  points,  for  the  purpose  of  exhibiting 
the  various  combinations,  connections,  and  dependencies 
of  words.  Its  uses  also  were  found  to  consist  primarily 
in  developing,  with  as  much  clearness  as  possible,  the 
sense  and  the  grammatical  constructions  of  a  composi 
tion  ;  and  secondarily  in  showing,  to  some  extent,  the 
various  pauses  which  are  requisite  for  an  accurate 
reading  or  delivery. 

We  now  proceed  to  enter  on  the  practical  mode  of 
attaining  the  information  required ;  and,  for  the  sake 
of  order  and  of  clearness  of  conception,  it  is  proposed 
to  regard  the  subject  as  separable  into  branches.  We 
will  treat,  in  the  first  place,  of  the  marks  pertaining  to 
SENTENCES,  which  may  be  divided  into  two  kinds, — 
the  common  or  principal  points,  which  are  chiefly  of  a 
grammatical  nature ;  and  the  less  common  but  equally 
necessary  points,  which,  occurring  as  they  often  do  in 
animated  composition,  and  being  used  for  the  twofold 
purpose  of  bringing  out  the  sense  and  aiding  the  deli 
very,  are  entitled  to  be  spoken  of  as  both  grammatical 
and  rhetorical  We  will,  lastly,  speak  of  other  marks, 
which  either  bear  a  more  intimate  relation  to  LETTERS 
and  SYLLABLES  than  to  words  and  sentences,  or  are  of 
a  varied  and  mixed  character;  and  hence  these 


20  INTRODUCTION. 

be  termed  letter,  syllabic,  quotation,  and  miscellaneous 
points. 

Before,  however,  commencing  the  study  of  the  laws 
which  regulate  the  use  of  these  marks,  the  learner 
should  know  at  least  as  much  of  grammar  as  will  enable 
him  to  distinguish,  with  tolerable  accuracy,  the  different 
parts  of  speech  into  which  language  is  resolvable.  Be 
sides  this,  it  is  essential  that  he  be  in  some  measure 
acquainted  with  the  various  kinds  of  sentences,  their 
usual  constructions,  and  the  mode  in  which  they  may  be 
analyzed  into  their  component  parts.  Taking,  there 
fore,  for  granted  that  he  is  not  entirely  ignorant  of  the 
principles  of  the  English  language,  we  will  intrude  into 
the  province  of  the  grammarian,  only  so  far  as  may  be 
necessary  for  the  student  to  form  correct  notions  of  the 
meaning  of  a  few  terms,  relating  to  sentences,  which 
will  frequently  occur  in  the  rules  and  remarks,  and 
without  a  due  knowledge  of  which  he  would  be  unable 
fully  to  comprehend  the  laws  of  Punctuation.  The 
terms  alluded  to,  then,  are  defined  and  illustrated  as 
follow :  — 

DEFINITIONS. 

I.  A  SENTENCE  is  an  assemblage  of  words,  so  arranged  as  to  form 
a  proposition,  or  two  or  more  related  propositions ;  making,  directly 
or  indirectly,  complete  sense. 

II.  A  SIMPLE  SENTENCE  expresses  only  a  simple  proposition.    It 
consists  of  one  nominative,  subject,  or  thing  spoken  of,  and  of  a  sin 
gle  predicate,  or  affirmation  concerning  the  subject;  as,— 

1    Calumny  I  destroys  reputation.    2.  The  Creator  |  is  good. 
3.  Kings  |  reign. 

In  these  propositions,  the  words  that  precede  the  perpendicular 
lines  are  the  subjects  or  nominatives,  arid  those  that  follow  are  the 
predicates. 


DEFINITIONS    OF    TERMS.  21 

A  logician  would  define  a  proposition  by  stating  it  to  be  a  sentence 
consisting  of  a  subject;  of  the  copula,  or  sign  of  predication;  and 
of  the  predicate.  But  the  explanation  given  will  be  found  sufficiently 
correct  for  grammatical  purposes. 

III.  A  COMPOUND  SENTENCE  consists  of  two  or  more  simple 
sentences  in  combination,  and  therefore  contains  more  than  one  nomi 
native  and  finite  verb,  either  expressed  or  understood ;  as,  — 

1.  Virtue  refines  the  affections ;  but  vice  debases  them. 

2.  To  err  is  human;  to  forgive,  divine. 

8.  Age,  though  it  lessens  the  enjoyment  of  life,  increases  our  desire 
of  livinjr. 

That  these  sentences  are  compound  will  be  seen  at  once  by  resolving 
each  into  two  simple  sentences :  "  Virtue  refines  the  affections.  Vice, 
on  the  other  hand,  debases  the  affections."  —  "  To  err  is  human.  To 
forgive  is  divine." — "Age  lessens  the  enjoyment  of  life.  It,  how 
ever,  increases  our  desire  of  living." 

IV.  MEMBERS.  — When  a  sentence  consists  of  several  clauses, 
admitting  of  a  union  of  some  and  a  separation  of  others,  those  which 
are  combined  may  together  be  called  members ;  as,  — 

The  ox  knoweth  his  owner,  |  and  the  ass  his  master's  crib :  |J  but  Israel 
doth  not  know ;  |  my  people  do  not  consider. 

In  this  example  there  are  four  clauses :  the  first  two  forming  one 
member ;  the  latter  two,  another  member. 

In  many  books,  however,  the  word  member  is  used  in  its  primary 
and  more  extensive  sense,  as  denoting  any  portion  of  a  sentence, 
whether  a  single  clause,  a  phrase,  or  a  word. 

V.  A  CLAUSE  is  a  simple  sentence,  or  part  of  a  sentence,  united 
to  another,  and  contains  a  nominative  and  a  finite  verb,  either  ex 
pressed  or  understood ;  as,  — 

1.  That  high  moral  excellence  is  true  greatness  |  cannot  be  denied. 

2.  Candor  is  a  quality  |  which  all  admire. 

3.  Though  he  slay  me,  |  yet  will  I  trust  in  him. 

4.  The  smile  of  gayety  may  be  assumed,  |  while  the  heart  aches  within. 

5.  Gentleness  often  disarms  the  fierce,  |  and  melts  the  stubborn. 

When  the  subject  of  a  proposition  is  itself  a  sentence,  or  contains  u 
finite  verb,  as  in  No.  1,  above,  it  is  called  a  nominative  clause ;  when 
a  clause  begins  with  a  relative  pronoun,  as  the  last  in  No.  2,  it  ia 
termed  a  relative  clause :  when  clauses  are  introduced  by  correspond- 


22  INTRODUCTION. 

ing  words,  as  "  though  "  and  "  yet"  in  No.  3,  they  are  named  correla, 
live ;  when  one  clause  is  subject  to  another  for  completeness  of  sense, 
as  those  in  No.  4,  they  are  called  dependent ;  and  when  one  is  simply 
added  to  another,  co-ordinate  or  consecutive  clauses,  as  exemplified  in 
No.  5. 

VI.  A  PHRASE  consists  of  at  least  two  words,  being  a  form  of 
expression,  or  part  of  a  sentence,  which  has  no  finite  verb,  expressed 
or  understood ;  and  which  therefore  does  not  of  itself  make  any  asser 
tion,  or  form  complete  sense ;  as,  — 


1.  In  haste.  I  4.  Awkward  in  person. 


2.  Of  all  our  senses.  6.  Studious  of  praise 

3.  By  infinite  wisdom.      |  6    Useful  to  artists. 


7.  To  confess  the  truth. 

8.  Law  and  order. 

9.  A  man  of  wisdom. 


In  works  on  grammar,  these  and  similar  expressions  are  usually  called 
imperfect  phrases ;  but  the  definition  just  given  will  preclude  the 
necessity  of  using  the  epithet.  An  article  or  any  unemphatic  word 
and  a  noun,  or  the  simple  infinitive,  —  as,  a  book,  the  man,  to  love,  — 
will,  to  avoid  circumlocution,  be  treated  in  the  following  pages,  not 
as  a  phrase,  but  as  a  word. 

A  nominative  phrase  consists  of  several  words,  standing  as  the 
subject  of  a  proposition.  An  adjectival,  a  participial,  a  prepositional 
phrase,  are  phrases  severally  beginning  with  an  adjective,  a  parti 
ciple,  or  a  preposition.  Those  phrases,  however,  which,  though 
commencing  with  a  preposition,  are  used  instead  of  single  adverbs, 
are  commonly  spoken  of  as  adverbial  phrases ;  as,  " /»  haste,"  for 
hastily. 

VII.  TERMS  and  EXPRESSIONS.  —  To  avoid  repetition,  a  word  or 
a  phrase  is  sometimes  called  a  term ;  and  a  phrase  or  a  clause,  an 
expression. 

VIII.  PARENTHETICAL  WORDS  or  EXPRESSIONS  are  intermediate 
words,  phrases,  or  clauses,  which,  though  required  by  the  sense  of  the 
passage  in  which  they  occur,  are  not  essential  to  the  construction.    Of 
these  a  fuller  description,  with  illustrations,  will  be  given  under  the 
rule  which  treats  of  the  mode  of  punctuating  them. 

IX.  CORRELATIVES.  —  When  two  words  express  reciprocal  rela 
tions,  or  correspond  one  to  another,  they  are  termed  correlative  word* ; 
as,  "  Pompey  was  not  so  brave  a  general  as  Csesar."  —  "  Though  the 
man  was  intellectually  rich,  yet  he  was  morally  poor." 


DEFINITIONS    OF    TERMS.  23 

Correlatives  may  be  nouns,  adjectives,  or  adverbs;  but  those  to 
which  reference  will  be  made  in  this  work  are  chiefly  of  a  conjunc 
tive  nature,  denoting  relations  of  various  kinds,  —  sometimes  that  of 
connection,  dependence,  or  consequence ;  and  sometimes  of  compa 
rison,  similitude,  or  equality. 

X.  APPOSITION.  —  Nouns,  pronouns,  or  phrases,  or  a  noun  or  pro 
noun  and  a  phrase,  are  said  to  be  in  apposition,  when  put  in  the  samo 
case,  and  signifying  the  same  thing,  or  when  one  is  used  as  explanu 
tory  of  the  other;  as,  "  The  river  Thames." 

XI.  A  SERIES  denotes  a  succession  of  three  or  more  words, 
phrases,  or  clauses,  joined  in  construction ;  as,  — 

1.  The  hermit's  life  is  private,  calm,  devotional,  and  contemplative. 

2.  Fire  of  imagination,  strength  of  mind,  aud  firmness  of  soul,  are  rare  gifts. 

3.  God's  love  watcheth  over  all,  provideth  tor  all,  maketh  wise  adaptations 

for  all. 

The  first  example  exhibits  a  series  of  words ;  the  second,  of  phrases ; 
the  third,  of  clauses.  What  are  termed  by  elocutionists  the  members 
of  a  series  will  in  this  work  be  called  particulars. 

XII.  A  COMPOUND  WORD  consists  of  two  or  more  simple  or  pri 
mitive  words ;  as,  — 

1.  Fireside.  I        8.  Self-conceit. 

2.  Nevertheless.        |        4.  Fellow-workman. 

The  simple  words  in  compounds  may,  in  general,  be  known  from 
their  being  separately  current  in  the  language.  For  the  sake  of 
brevity,  they  are  sometimes  called  simples  or  primitives. 

The  term  DERIVATIVE  is  restricted  to  a  compound  word,  the  por 
tions  of  which  are  not  each  separately  used  in  English ;  as,  manly, 
excitement,  consciousness,  generalization:  prospectus,  circumstance, phi 
losopher,  theology. 

XIII.  The  CONSTRUCTION  of  a  sentence  is  the  mode  in  which  its 
materials  —  its  words,  phrases,  and  clauses  —  are  combined  and  ar 
ranged.     When  two  or  more  phrases  or  expressions  qualify  others, 
or  are  qualified  by  them ;  when  they  act  as  nominatives  to  the  same 
verb ;  when  they  govern  the  same  words  or  phrases,  or  are  governed 
by  the  same  verbs,  participles,  or  prepositions,  —  they  are  said  to  be 
in  the  same  construction 


24  ANALYSIS    OF    COMPOSITION. 

After  the  pupil  has  acquired  a  knowledge  of  the 
meaning  of  the  terms  just  explained,  or  revived  the  im 
pressions  which  he  had  previously  received  from  his 
study  of  syntactical  principles,  he  should  state,  in  his 
own  words,  the  nature  and  object  of  Punctuation,  and 
then  analyze  the  following  extracts,  or  any  other 
piece  of  composition,  into  sentences,  and  their  various 
parts :  — 

EXERCISE. 

ATHENS.  —  If  we  consider  merely  the  subtlety  of  disquisition,  the 
force  of  imagination,  the  perfect  energy  and  elegance  of  expression, 
which  characterize  the  great  works  of  Athenian  genius,  we  must 
pronounce  them  intrinsically  most  valuable.  But  what  shall  we  say 
when  we  reflect  that  from  hence  have  sprung,  directly  or  indirectly, 
all  the  noblest  creations  of  the  human  intellect ;  that  from  hence  were 
the  vast  accomplishments  and  the  brilliant  fancy  of  Cicero,  the  with 
ering  fire  of  Juvenal,  the  plastic  imagination  of  Dante,  the  humor 
of  Cervantes,  the  comprehension  of  Bacon,  the  wit  of  Butler,  the 
supreme  and  universal  excellence  of  ShakspeareV  All  the  triumphs 
of  truth  and  genius  over  prejudice  and  power,  in  every  country  and 
in  every  age,  have  been  the  triumphs  of  Athens.  Wherever  a  few 
great  minds  have  made  a  stand  against  violence  and  fraud,  in  the 
cause  of  liberty  and  reason,  there  has  been  her  spirit  in  the  midst 
of  them,  inspiring,  encouraging,  consoling,  — by  the  lonely  lamp  of 
Erasmus,  by  the  restless  bed  of  Pascal,  in  the  tribune  of  Mirabeau, 
in  the  cell  of  Galileo,  on  the  scaffold  of  Sidney.  But  who  shall  esti 
mate  her  influence  on  private  happiness  V  Who  shall  say  how  many 
thousands  have  been  made  wiser,  happier,  and  better  by  those  pur 
suits  in  which  she  has  taught  mankind  to  engage ;  to  how  many  the 
studies  which  took  their  rise  from  her  have  been  wealth  in  poverty, 
liberty  in  bondage,  health  in  sickness,  society  in  solitude?  Her 
power  is,  indeed,  manifested  at  the  bar,  in  the  senate,  in  the  field  of 
battle,  in  the  schools  of  philosophy.  But  these  are  not  her  glory. 
Wherever  literature  consoles  sorrow,  or  assuages  pain ;  wherever  it 
brings  gladness  to  eyes  which  fail  with  wakefulness  and  tears,  and 
ache  for  the  dark  house  and  the  long  sleep,— there  is  exhibited,  in 
Its  noblest  form,  the  immortal  influence  of  Athens. 


ANALYSIS    OF    COMPOSITION.  25 

The  dervise,  in  the  Arabian  tale,  did  not  hesitate  to  abandon  to 
his  comrade  the  camels  with  their  load  of  jewels  and  gold,  while  he 
retained  the  casket  of  that  mysterious  juice  which  enabled  him  to 
behold  at  one  glance  all  the  hidden  riches  of  the  universe.  Surely 
it  is  no  exaggeration  to  say,  that  no  external  advantage  is  to  be  com 
pared  with  that  purification  of  the  intellectual  eye  which  gives  us 
to  contemplate  the  infinite  wealth  of  the  mental  world;  all  the 
hoarded  treasures  of  its  primeval  dynasties,  all  the  shapeless  ore  of 
its  yet  unexplored  mines.  This  is  the  gift  of  Athens  to  man.  Her 
freedom  and  her  power  have,  for  more  than  twenty  centuries,  been 
annihilated;  her  people  have  degenerated  into  timid  slaves;  her  lan 
guage,  into  a  barbarous  jargon;  her  temples  have  been  given  up  to 
the  successive  depredations  of  Romans,  Turks,  and  Scotchmen:  but 
her  intellectual  empire  is  imperishable.  And  when  those  who  have 
rivalled  her  greatness  shall  have  shared  her  fate ;  when  civilization 
and  knowledge  shall  have  fixed  their  abode  in  distant  continents; 
when  the  sceptre  shall  have  passed  away  from  England ;  when,  per 
haps,  travellers  from  distant  regions  shall  in  vain  labor  to  decipher 
on  some  mouldering  pedestal  the  name  of  our  proudest  chief, — 
shall  hear  savage  hymns  chanted  to  some  misshapen  idol  over  the 
ruined  dome  of  our  proudest  temple,  and  shall  see  a  single  naked 
fisherman  wash  his  nets  in  the  river  of  the  ten  thousand  masts, — 
her  influence  and  her  glory  will  still  survive,  fresh  in  eternal  youth, 
exempt  from  mutability  and  decay,  immortal  as  the  intellectual 
principle  from  which  they  derived  their  origin,  and  over  which  they 
exercise  their  control.  —  T.  B.  MACAULAY  :  Critical  and  Miscellaneous 
Essays,  vol.  iii.  pp.  402,  403. 


THE  VOCATION  OF  POETRY.  —  It  is  the  high  and  glorious  vocation 
of  Poesy  as  well  to  make  our  own  daily  life  and  toil  more  beautiful  and 
holy  to  us  by  the  divine  ministerings  of  love,  as  to  render  us  swift 
to  convey  the  same  blessing  to  our  brother.  Poesy  is  love's  chosen 
apostle,  and  the  very  almoner  of  God.  She  is  the  home  of  the  out 
cast,  and  the  wealth  of  the  needy.  For  her  the  hut  becomes  a  palace, 
whose  halls  are  guarded  by  the  gods  of  Phidias,  and  kept  peaceful 
by  the  maid-mothers  of  Raphael.  She  loves  better  the  poor  wanderer 
whose  bare  feet  know  by  heart  the  freezing  stones  of  the  pavement, 
than  the  delicate  maiden  for  whose  dainty  soles  Brussels  and  Turkey 
have  been  overcareful ;  and  I  doubt  not  but  some  remembered  scrap 
of  childish  song  hath  often  been  a  truer  alms  than  all  the  benevoleut 
societies  could  give.  —  J.  R.  LOWELL:  Conversations,  cfc.,  p.  133. 


26 


CHAPTER  II. 

THE    GllAMMATICAL    POINTS. 


IN  accordance  with  the  plan  proposed  in  the  last  section, 
this  chapter  will  be  devoted  to  the  consideration  of  the 
principal  sentential  marks,  namely,  — 

1.  The  COMMA [  ,  J 

2.  The  SEMICOLON [  ;  ] 

3.  The  COLON [  ;  ] 

4.  The  PKKIOD [  .  ] 

The  Comma  marks  the  smallest  grammatical  division 
of  a  sentence,  and  usually  represents  the  shortest  pause  ; 
the  Semicolon  and  the  Colon  separate  those  portions 
which  are  less  connected  than  those  divided  by  commas, 
and  admit  each  of  a  greater  pause ;  and  the  Period  is, 
what  its  name  denotes,  a  full  stop,  which  commonly  ter 
minates  a  sentence. 

REMARK. 

The  names  of  the  points  have  been  borrowed  by  grammarians 
from  the  terms  which  rhetoricians  employed  to  indicate  the  various 
kinds  of  sentences,  and  the  parts  of  which  they  consist  Thus  the 
Period  signified  a  complete  circuit  of  words;  a  sentence,  making, 
from  its  commencement  to  its  close,  full  and  perfect  sense.  The 
Colon  was  the  greatest  member  or  division  of  a  period  or  sentence ; 
and  the  Semicolon,  the  greatest  division  of  a  colon;  while  the  Comma 
indicated  a  smaller  segment  of  the  period,  —  the  least  constructive 
part  of  a  sentence. 


27 


SECT.  I.  —  THE    COMMA. 

The  COMMA  [  ,  ]  marks  the  smallest  grammatical] 
division  in  written  or  printed  language,  and  commonly 
represents  the  shortest  pause  in  reading  or  delivery. 

REMARKS. 

a.  Agreeably  to  the  principles  contended  for  in  the  Introduction, 
it  will  be  noticed  that  the  comma  is  here  said,  not  to  mark  the  small 
est  segment  of  a  composition,  but  only  the  least  grammatical  division ; 
that  is,  the  least  portion  into  which  a  sentence  can  be  divided,  when 
regard  is  had  to  the  sense,  and  not  to  the  delivery.  But  many 
sentences  do  not  at  all  admit  of  being  divided  grammatically;  as, 
"  The  great  use  of  books  is  to  rouse  us  to  thought;"  though,  when 
considered  in  a  rhetorical  or  elocutionary  light,  they  should  be  sepa 
rated  into  parts,  or  groups  of  words,  as  in  reading  the  example  just 
given:  "  The  great  use  of  books  |  is  |  to  rouse  us  |  to  thought." 

b.  It  is  usual  for  grammarians  to  say,  that  the  comma  represents 
the  shortest  pause,  and  that  that  pause  is  equal  to  the  time  required 
for  counting  one;  but  the  remark  admits  of  so  many  exceptions  as 
to  be  without  any  practical  value.  Numerous  instances  occur  in 
which  the  comma  is  so  far  from  indicating  the  shortest  pause,  that  a 
cessation  of  the  voice  equal  to  the  time  of  counting  one,  two,  if  not 
three,  is  demanded  both  by  the  nature  of  the  sentiment  and  the  con 
struction  of  the  language;  as,  for  instance,  after  the  words  "vice" 
and  "undertake"  in  the  following  sentences:  "Virtue  is  always 
advantageous;  vice,  never."  — " Nations,  like  men,  fail  in  nothing 
which  they  boldly  undertake,  when  sustained  by  virtuous  purpose 
and  firm  resolution."  In  other  instances,  the  comma  does  not  exhibit 
any  pause  whatever,  but  merely  the  grammatical  division,  as  in  the 
expression, "  Yes,  sir ; "  where,  in  common  or  unemphatic  discourse, 
no  pause  can  be  made  between  the  words. 

c.  On  this  subject  all  elocutionists  are  agreed.  Mr.  Maglathlin,  in 
the  •'  National  Speaker,"  p.  30,  says  that  "  the  comma  occurs  some 
times  where  there  should  be  no  pau«e  in  reading  or  speaking;  nor 
can  the  length  of  any  required  stop  be  inferred  with  much  certainty 
from  the  common  stop-mark  used."  Dr.  Mandeville,  in  his  uEle- 


28  THE    COMMA. 

mentS  of  Reading  and  Oratory,"  p.  32,  remarks  that  "  the  comma 
does  not  necessarily  represent  a  pause; "  that "  it  suspends  the  voice, 
in  unimpassioned  reading  or  speaking,  sufficiently  long  to  draw 
breath;  "  but  that, "  under  the  influence  of  emotion,  its  time  is  inde 
finite."  And  the  celebrated  Walker,  in  "  Rhetorical  Grammar,"  p.  36 
(Boston  edition,  1814),  when  speaking  of  all  the  points,  admits  that 
"  these  marks  sufficiently  answer  the  purposes  of  written  language, 
by  keeping  the  members  of  sentences  from  running  into  each  other, 
and  producing  ambiguity;  but,  when  we  regard  them  as  guides  to 
pronunciation,  they  fail  us  at  almost  every  step." 


RULE    I. 

Two  Words,  of  the  same  Part  of  Speech,  connected  by  the 
Conjunctions  AND,  OK,  NOB. 

Two  words,  belonging  to  the  same  part  of  speech,  or 
used  as  such,  when  closely  connected  by  one  of  the  con 
junctions  and,  or,  nor,  are  not  separated  by  a  comma 
from  each  other. 

EXAMPLES. 

1.  Pay  supreme  and  undivided  homage  to  goodness  and  truth. 

2.  Grand  ideas  and  principles  elevate  or  ennoble  the  mind. 
8.  Benefits  should  be  long  and  gratefully  remembered. 

4.  Virtue  or  vice  predominates  in  every  man  and  woman. 

6.  Some  monks  may  be  said  to  be  neither  of  nor  in  the  world. 

6.  The  necessity  and  the  use  of  physic  have  been  much  exaggerated 

7.  It  is  natural  to  compassionate  those  who  are  suffering  and  alone. 

K  E  M  A  R  K  8. 

a.  In  these  examples,  it  will  be  seen  that  the  comma  is  regarded 
as  inadmissible,  not  only  between  two  words  united  by  a  conjunction, 
but  also  after  them.  Here  no  point  should  be  used,  except  when 
they  come  at  the  end  of  a  clause  or  sentence,  or  form  such  phrases 
as,  from  their  construction  with  others,  require  to  be  punctuated ;  as, 
"  To  the  intelligent  and  virtuous,  old  age  presents  a  scene  of  tranquil 
enjoyments." 


TWO    CONJOINED    WORDS.  29 

6.  Some  writers  distinguish  two  connected  prepositions  by  the 
insertion  of  commas,  and  would  point  the  fifth  example  thus :  "  Some 
monks  may  be  said  to  be  neither  of,  nor  in,  the  world."  But  there 
seems  to  be  no  valid  reason  for  deviating  from  the  rule;  though, 
when  prepositions  are  removed  from,  and  at  the  same  time  connected 
with,  each  other,  and  are  dependent  on  one  and  the  same  term  (as  in 
the  sentence  we  are  just  writing,  and  as  in  the  eighth  example  under 
Rule  V.),  a  comma  is  required  after  each  to  bring  out  the  sense. 

c.  By  referring  to  p.  22,  Definition  VI.,  it  will  be  found  that  the 
insertion  of  an  article  between  connected  words,  as  in  the  sixth 
example,  does  not  at  all  affect  the  validity  of  the  rule.  — In  the 
seventh  example,  the  words  united  by  the  conjunction  are  not  of  the 
same  part  of  speech,  unless  the  phrase  be  treated  ellipticaily,  so  as  to 
mean  "  suffering  and  being  alone ; "  but  instances  of  this  or  a  similar 
kind  are  obviously  subject  to  the  same  principle  as  words  of  one  sort. 

d.  When  the  first  of  two  connected  words  is  qualified  by  a  pre 
ceding  adjective  or  adverb  which  is  inapplicable  to  the  second,  or 
when  the  latter  is  followed  by  a  term  not  belonging  to  the  former,  a 
comma  is  usually  required  before  the  conjunction ;  as,  "  Donations 
will  be  thankfully  received,  and  applied  to  the  benefit  of  the  suffering 
p00r."  —  « 'Twas  certain  he  could  write,  and  cipher  too." 

e.  The  comma,  however,  is  not  inserted  between  the  conjoined 
words,  when  the  latter  is  immediately  preceded  by  a  qualifying  or 
governing  word,  and  both  refer  to  one  and  the  same  term;  as,  "  The 
world  has  confidence  in  the  judgment  and  wise  conduct  of  a  truly 
honest  man." 

/.  When  two  phrases,  the  former  ending  and  the  other  beginning 
with  a  noun,  are  joined  by  the  conjunction  and,  or,  or  nor,  they  may 
be  separated  by  a  comma;  as,  "  Integrity  of  understanding,  and  nicety 
of  discernment,  were  not  allotted  in  a  less  proportion  to  Dryden  than 
to  Pope."  — "  So  shall  sweet  thoughts,  and  thoughts  sublime,  my 
constant  inspiration  be."  The  comma  is  also  placed  after  the  last 
phrase,  when,  as  in  these  examples,  it  relates,  equally  with  the  first, 
to  the  remainder  of  the  sentence. 

g.  If,  however,  the  first  phrase  is  preceded  by  one  of  the  correla 
tives  both,  either,  neither,  or  the  second  by  an  article,  or  when  the 
phrases  are  introduced  into  the  body  of  a  sentence  necessarily  requir 
ing  the  insertion  of  commas,  they  should  be  left  unpointed ;  as,  "Both 
integrity  of  understanding  and  nicety  of  discernment  were  allotted  in 
a  no  less  proportion,"  &o.— "  Man  is  the  child  of  God  and  the  heir 
of  immortality."  —  "  As  we  do,  and  we  must  as  Protestants,  consider 


30  THE    COMMA. 

Romanism  a  false  and  vicious  system  of  religion  or  form  of  Chris 
tianity,  whatever  we  can  lawfully  and  morally  do  to  stay  its  progress, 
we  not  only  have  a  right,  but  it  is  our  duty,  to  do."  In  the  last 
example,  the  two  Italicized  phrases  are  not  separated  by  a  comma, 
because  the  advantage  of  this  mode  of  pointing  in  a  more  simply 
constructed  sentence  would  be  counterbalanced  here  by  the  dis 
advantages  resulting  from  all  the  phrases  being  set  off  alike. 

h.  When  the  second  of  two  words,  united  by  the  conjunction  and 
or  or,  is  elliptical,  or  is  inserted  as  an  after-thought  or  for  the  sake 
of  emphasis,  it  may  be  pointed  off  by  commas ;  as,  "  A  sense  of 
personal  propriety  would  often  interrupt,  and  exclude,  an  imputa 
tion  of  unworthy  motives  to  those  who  hold  opinions  opposite  to  our 
own : "  the  sense  being,  "  would  interrupt,  if  it  would  not  exclude,  an 
imputation,"  &c. ;  or  "  would  interrupt,  and  indeed  exclude."  The 
awkwardness  of  the  punctuation,  which  forms  an  exception  to  the 
rule,  might  usually  be  avoided  by  a  happier  construction  of  such 
sentences. 

t.  When  the  conjunction  or  stands  between  two  nouns,  or  be 
tween  a  noun  and  a  phrase,  which  are  synonymous,  or  of  which  the 
latter  is  explanatory  of  the  former,  they  may  be  separated  by  a 
comma  from  each  other;  as,  "The  dwelling  of  Norma  was  not 
unaptly  compared  to  the  eyry  of  the  ospray,  or  gea-eayle."  If  the 
explanatory  term  is  intermediate  or  parenthetical,  a  comma  should 
be  placed  after  each  of  the  terms ;  as,  "  Sin,  or  moral  evil,  should 
excite  the  greatest  abhorrence."  —  See  Rule  VIII. 

j.  Some  punctuators  would  apply  the  preceding  remark  as  a  rule 
to  all  instances  in  which  one  of  two  words,  coupled  by  the  conjunc 
tion  or,  is  explanatory  of  the  other.  In  nouns,  we  think,  the  comma 
is  usually  required,  to  show  that  the  terms,  which  might  otherwise 
be  regarded  as  significant  of  two  ideas  or  things,  are  designed  to 
represent  only  one  and  the  same ;  but  the  pointing  of  adjectives  and 
adverbs  similarly  situated  would,  in  many  cases,  tend,  by  the  break- 
mg-up  of  the  connection,  to  confuse,  instead  of  assisting,  the  reader. 
Besides,  it  should  be  remembered  that  qualifying  words  are  seldom, 
if  ever,  perfectly  synonymous ;  and  that,  even  if  they  were  exactly 
of  the  same  signification,  the  omission  of  the  commas  could  scarcely 
affect  the  sense.  For  instance,  this  sentence,  "  He  who  is  devoutly 
or  piously  disposed  to  God  is  also  benignant  or  kind  to  men,"  is  as 
easily  understood  as  if  it  were  punctuated,  "  He  who  is  devoutly, 
or  piously,  disposed  to  God  is  also  benignant,  or  kind,  to  men; ''  and, 
in  the  unpointed  form,  is  more  agreeable  to  the  eye. 


TWO    CONJOINED    WORDS.  31 


ORAL   EXERCISES. 

After  describing  the  nature  and  uses  of  Vie  comma,  as  mentioned  in  page  27,  state 
the  first  Rule,  and  assign  the  reason  why  Hie  connected  words  in  the  follcw- 
ing  sentences  are  unpointed  :  — 

Liberty  and  eloquence  have  been  united  in  all  ages. 

Some  children  learn  early  to  sing  and  to  dance. 

We  often  see  rank  or  riches  preferred  to  merit  or  talent. 

Let  us  cherish  an  earnest  and  a  reverential  love  of  truth. 

The  liberal  arts  soften  and  harmonize  the  temper. 

An  unjust  merchant  is  neither  loved  nor  respected. 

Be  vitally  and  practically  interested  in  the  well-being  of  all. 

Let  nothing  be  done  insincerely  or  hypocritically. 

Let  neither  indolence  nor  vice  canker  the  promise  of  the  heart. 

Within  and  without  us  are  many  foes  to  rectitude. 


According  to  Remarks  in  pages  28 — 30,  state  the  reasons  for  the  omission  or  the 
insertion  of  commas  between  conjoined  words  in  the  following  sentences :  — 

The  youth  wrote  letters  both  to  and  concerning  the  lady. 

Socrates  was  a  virtuous  and  a  wise  man. 

A  convenient  spot,  and  surprise,  effected  his  purpose. 

The  prophet  went,  and  addressed  the  people. 

He,  and  he  only,  is  worthy  of  our  supreme  affections. 

Piety  and  unsullied  virtue  are  venerated  even  by  the  wicked. 

Money  is  the  bane  of  bliss,  and  source  of  woe. 

Have  both  soundness  of  faith  and  activity  of  benevolence. 

Neither  purity  of  aim  nor  goodness  of  deed  was  attributed  to  him. 

Regard  the  rights  of  persons  and  the  rights  of  property. 

It  may,  and  must,  exist  under  the  circumstances  of  the  case. 

Would  you  escape,  and  live ;  remain,  or  die  ?     Speak,  or  perish. 

The  laverock,  or  lark,  is  distinguished  for  its  singing. 

Parenthetical  or  intermediate  words  are  often  used. 


EXERCISE   TO   BE   WRITTEN. 
Write  the  following  sentences,  and  punctuate  those  only  which,  agreeably  to  the 

Remarks,  should  have  commas :  — 

An  ellipsis  or  omission  of  words  is  found  in  ah"  kinds  of  composi 
tion.    (Remarks  d  and  i.) 

How  many  a  knot  of  mystery  and  misunderstanding  would  be 
untied  by  one  word  spoken  in  simple  and  confiding  truth  of  heart ! 


82  THE    COMMA. 

A  distinction  ought  to  be  made  between  fame  and  true  honor, 
(Remark  e.) 

The  balmy  influences  of  neither  sea  nor  sky  could  revive  or 
restore  him. 

Refinement  of  mind  and  clearness  of  thinking  usually  result  from 
grammatical  studies.  (Remark/.) 

The  greatest  genius  is  never  so  great  as  when  it  is  chastised  and 
subdued  by  the  highest  reason. 

In  composition  there  is  a  transposed  or  inverted  order  of  words, 
as  well  as  a  conventional  or  common  arrangement.  (Remark  j.) 

The  first  end  to  which  all  wisdom  or  knowledge  ought  to  be  em 
ployed  is  to  illustrate  the  wisdom  and  goodness  of  God. 

Morality  and  religion  itself  is  degraded  by  the  use  of  unmeaning 
terms.  (Remark  d.) 

Is  it  sickness  or  selfishness  that  spreads  most  misery  through  our 
homes? 

A  quickness  of  observation  and  an  ingenuousness  of  character  are 
often  found  in  very  young  children.  (Rule,  and  Remarks  c,  g.) 

The  Greek  and  Roman  writers  were  once  understood  and  relished 
in  a  remarkable  degree. 

Some  have  neither  the  resolution  nor  the  power  of  carrying  their 
projects  to  a  completion.  (Rule,  and  Remarks  c,  g.) 

Pope  examined  lines  and  words  with  minute  and  punctilious 
observation. 

The  nineteenth  century  has  been  and  is  a  time  of  extraordinary 
mental  activity.  (Remark  h.) 

I  would  calmly  and  humbly  submit  myself  to  the  good  and  blessed 
will  of  God. 

Let  us  greet  and  take  by  the  hand  those  who  were  our  youthful 
companions.  (Remark  d.) 

The  human  heart  beats  quick  at  the  sight  or  hearing  of  courageous 
and  disinterested  deeds. 

The  senses  or  sensibility  of  one  body  may  be  radically  more  acute 
than  those  of  another.  (Remark  L) 

The  most  ferocious  conflicts  have  been  brightened  by  examples  of 
magnanimous  and  patriotic  virtue. 

It  was  the  greatest  act  ever  done  either  by  or  for  human  beings. 
(Rule,  and  Remark  b.) 

Whenever,  therefore,  we  divide  Christianity  into  doctrines  of  faith 
and  doctrines  of  practice,  we  must  remember  that  the  division  is  one 
of  our  own  fabrication.  (Rule,  and  last  portion  of  Remark  g.) 


TWO    WORDS    NOT    CONJOINED.  33 

RULE     U. 

Two  Words,  of  the  same  Part  of  Speech,  not  connected  by  a 
Conjunction. 

Two  words,  of  the  same  part  of  speech  and  in  the 
same  construction,  if  used  without  a  conjunction  between 
them,  are  separated  from  each  other  by  a  comma. 

EXAMPLES. 

1.  Lend,  lend  your  wings. 

2.  The  dignity  of  a  man  consists  in  thought,  intelligence 

3.  Can  flattery  soothe  the  dull,  cold  ear  of  death? 

4.  The  discipline  of  suffering  nourishes,  invigorates  virtue. 

5.  We  are  fearfully,  wonderfully  made. 

6.  Their  search  extends  along,  around  the  path. 

7    Never  was  beheld  a  child  fairer,  more  beautiful. 

REMARKS. 

a.  Ths  adverbs  more  and  most,  the  former  of  which  occurs  in  the 
seventh  example,  are  considered  here  as  united  with  the  adjectives 
or  the  adverbs  which  they  qualify.     Thus,  "more  beautiful"  is 
equivalent  to  the  single  but  antiquated  word  beautifuller. 

b.  Besides  the  comma  inserted  between  two  nouns,  or  between 
two  words  equivalent  to  nouns,  the  same  point  is  put  after  the  last, 
when  it  does  not  end  a  sentence  or  a  clause;  as,  "  Thought,  thought, 
is  the  fundamental  distinction  of  mind."  —  "  Reason,  virtue,  answer 
one  great  aim."  —  "  The  earth  is  filled  with  the  labors,  the  works,  of 
the  dead."    In  these  and  similar  instances,  the  comma  is  required  to 
show  that  both  nouns  are  equally  related  to  what  follows. 

c.  But  the  comma  should  be  omitted  after  the  second  of  the 
nouns,  if  it  alone  is  connected  in  sense  with  the  last  portion  of  the 
clause;  as,  "The  miseries  of  war  bear  the  impress  of  cruelty,  of 
hardness  of  heart." 

d.  Strict  accuracy  seems  to  require  the  insertion  of  a  comma  after 
the  last  of  the  governing  and  qualifying  words  in  the  examples  under 
the  rule;  namely,  after  "lend,"  "cold,"  "invigorates,"  "wonder 
fully,"  "  around."     Bat  this  mode  of  punctuating  is  opposed  to  the 
most  reputable  usage,  and  is  seldom  needed  to  bring  out  the  sense; 
not  to  mention  the  uncouth  appearance  which  modifying  or  governing 
words  have  when  standing  alone,  or  in  disruption  from  the  context; 

3 


34  THE    COMMA. 

as,  "  All  great  works  of  genius  come  from  deep,  lonely,  thought." 
Contrast  the  sentence,  thus  pointed,  with  "  All  great  works  of  genius 
come  from  deep,  lonely  thought,"  and  the  superiority  of  the  latter 
form  will  be  obvious. 

e.  When,  however,  the  adjectives  or  adverbs  are  used  to  qualify 
a  word  that  precedes  them,  a  comma  should  be  placed  after  the 
second,  if  the  clause  is  unfinished ;  as,  "  The  world  that  is  outward, 
material,  is  the  shadow  of  that  which  is  spiritual."  A  comma  should 
also  be  placed  after  the  second  of  two  governing  words,  when  they 
precede,  not  a  single  word,  but  a  phrase  or  clause ;  as,  "  To  deny 
ourselves  is  to  deny,  to  renounce,  whatever  interferes  with  our  con 
victions  of  right." 

f.  The  comma  should  be  omitted  between  two  adjectives,  when 
the  first  qualifies  the  second  adjective  and  a  noun;  as,  "  The  emperor 
possessed  a  beautiful  white  horse;  "  that  is,  the  emperor  had  a  white 
horse  that  was  beautiful.     Were  a  comma  placed  between  the  adjec 
tives,  the  sense  would  be  that  he  possessed  a  horse  that  was  beautiful 
and  white. 

g.  When  two  adjectives  that  are  not  synonymous  precede  a  norm, 
and  convey  only  one  idea,  they  are  treated  as   a  compound  epithet, 
and  united  by  a  hyphen ;  as,  "  The  maidens  danced  amid  the  festal- 
sounding  shades." 

h.  If  two  nouns  are  used  as  a  compound,  whether  so  written 
or  not,  or  if  the  former  partakes  of  the  nature  of  an  adjective,  they 
are  not  separated  by  a  comma;  as,  "  Walter  Scott  ranks  high  as  a 
fiction-writer"  —  "  Ward  Room,  Franklin  Schoolhouse,  Washington 
Street."  Words  similar  to  those  mentioned  in  this  and  the  preceding 
remark  will  be  explained  under  the  "  Hyphen." 

i.  When  a  word  iterated  is  the  resumption  of  a  sentiment  broken 
off,  a  dash  is  used  before  the  repetition,  instead  of  a  comma;  as, 
"  But  I  fear —  I  fear  Richard  hardly  thought  the  terms  proposed  were 
worthy  of  his  acceptance."  The  punctuation  of  broken  sentences 
will  be  more  fully  treated  of  under  the  "  Dash." 

j.  A  comma  may  be  put  after  two  adverbs,  or  after  an  adverb 
repeated,  as  well  as  between  them,  when  they  qualify  a  clause ;  as, 
"  Verilv,  verily,  I  say  unto  you."  But  when  one  adverb  is  followed 
by  another,  the  former  qualifying  the  latter,  no  comma  is  admissi 
ble;  as,  "  The  part  was  remarkably  well  performed." 

k.  The  last  of  two  verbs,  participles,  or  prepositions,  if  used  with 
out  governing  the  words  that  follow  them,  is  set  off  with  a  comma,- 
as,  "  On,  on,  when  honor  calls." 


TWO    WORDS    NOT    CONJOINED.  35 

/.  It  not  unfrequently  happens,  that  two  prepositions  or  conjunc 
tions  come  together,  without  requiring  any  separation  by  a  marked 
pause;  as,  "  He  walks  up  towards  the  hill."  — "  The  pupil  of  a  docile 
disposition  not  only  loves,  but  also  venerates,  his  preceptor."  In 
respect,  however,  to  the  former  example,  it  may  be  observed  that 
the  first  preposition  is  not  in  construction  with  the  secord,  but  forms 
part  of  the  verb  "  walk,"  which  is  compound,  and  would  in  some 
languages  be  expressed  by  a  single  word ;  and,  as  to  the  latter,  that 
the  conjunctions  "  but "  and  "  also  "  are  so  closely  connected  in  sense 
as  to  be  inseparable  in  construction. 


ORAL,  EXERCISES. 

Explain  how  Rule  II.  requires  the  insertion  of  commas  between  words  of  tht) 
same  part  of  speech  in  the  following  sentences :  — 

Nothing  is  so  intelligible  as  sincere,  disinterested  love. 

Sound,  sound  the  tambourine !     Strike,  strike  the  mandaline ! 

Men  live  abroad  in  regions  which  are  milder,  more  temperate. 

Socrates  and  Plato  were  philosophers,  sages. 

The  outward,  material  world  is  the  shadow  of  the  spiritual. 

Genius  is  not  a  quality  of  idle,  lazy  men. 

Rash,  fruitless  war  is  only  splendid  murder. 

Fairly,  rightly  regarded,  religion  is  the  great  sentiment  of  life 

Storms  purge  the  air  without,  within  the  breast. 

State  how  the  reasans  given  in  the  Remarks  for  the  insertion  or  the  omission  of 
commas  (pp.  33,  34)  will  apply  to  the  following  sentences  :  — 

It  is  a  matter  of  the  finest,  the  most  deliberate  calculation. 

The  only  test  of  goodness,  virtue,  is  moral  strength. 

Virtue,  religion,  is  the  one  thing  needful. 

Woe,  woe,  to  the  rider  that  tramples  them  down ! 

A  steady,  durable  good  cannot  be  derived  from  an  external  cause. 

Work  that  13  easy,  pleasant,  does  not  make  robust  minds. 

Remove,  expel  the  blustering,  blundering  blockhead ! 

The  history  of  the  humblest  human  life  is  a  tale  of  marvels. 

How  delightful  to  gaze  at  the  dark-blue  sky ! 

Behold  that  crowd  of  keen,  anxious-looking  men. 

Some  village  Hampden  here  may  rest. 

Mirthfully,  wildly,  the  bright  waves  flash  along. 

A  benevolent  man  is  very  much  esteemed,  respected. 

Fallen,  fallen,  is  the  mighty  Babylon! 


36  THE    COMMA. 


EXERCISE  TO   BE   WRITTEN. 

In  writing'  the  following  sentences,  punctuate  those  words  only  which  require 
commas^  in  accordance  with  tJie  second  Rale  and  the  Remarks  t  — 

The  young  shepherd  promised  to  buy  me  a  pretty  brown  ribbon. 
(Remark/.) 

The  man  of  true  refinement  will  not  object  to  enter  into  the  honest 
heartfelt  enjoyments  of  common  life.  (Rule,  and  Remark  d.) 

The  rosy-crowned  Loves,  with  their  many-twinkling  feet,  frisk 
with  antic  Sports  and  blue-eyed  Pleasures.  (Remark  g.) 

A  good  that  is  steady  durable  cannot  be  derived  from  an  external 
cause.  (Rule,  and  Remark  e.) 

The  intellect  and  the  conscience  are  intimately  indissolubly  bound 
together.  (Rule,  and  Remark  d.) 

Employment  activity  is  one  of  the  fundamental  laws  of  human 
happiness.  (Rule,  and  Remark  b.) 

Not  a  few  of  the  wisest  grandest  spirits  have  toiled  at  the  work 
bench  and  the  plough.  (Rule,  and  Remarks  </,  h.) 

A  hardy  honest  peasantry  are  the  glory  of  an  agricultural 
country.  (Rule,  and  Remark  d.) 

Weeping  sighing  the  mother  hid  the  children  hi  her  gory  vest. 
(Rule,  and  Remark  k.) 

The  human  mind  spreads  its  thoughts  abroad  into  the  immea 
surable  the  infinite. 

Does  not  every  man  feel,  that  nothing  nothing  could  induce  him 
to  consent  to  become  a  slave?  (Rule,  and  Remark  b.) 

All  all  conjure  us  to  act  wisely  faithfully  in  the  relation  whicn  we 
sustain.  (Rule,  and  Remarks  J,  j.) 

We  should  have  a  deeper  a  more  vivid  conviction  of  the  importance 
the  sacredness  of  our  work.  (Riile,  and  Remarks  a,  b.) 

Of  intellectual  gifts,  the  rarest  the  most  glorious  is  great  inven 
tive  genius.  (Rule,  and  Remarks  a,  e,  f.) 

Who  will  deny  that  imagination  refines  elevates  the  other  mental 
powers?  (Rule,  and  last  sentence  in  Remark  e.) 

The  most  abandoned  men  have  sometimes  professed  courage  con 
tempt  of  mere  bodily  suffering.  (Rule.,  and  Remarks  c,  f.) 

A  desolate  lonely  feeling  springs  up  of  having  exchanged  their 
home  for  a  distant  foreign  country.  (Rule,  and  Remarks  d,  I.) 

All  things  must  work  together  for  certain  good,  so  long  as  we 
continue  in  free  unconditional  self-surrender  to  the  service  of  God. 
( Rule,  and  Remarks  d,  h.) 


SERIES    OF    WORDS.  37 

RULE     III. 
Series  of  Words  of  the  same  Part  of  Speech. 

In  a  series  of  words,  all  of  the  same  part  of  speech, 
a  comma  is  inserted  between  each  particular. 

EXAMPLES. 

1.  Industry,  honesty,  and  temperance  are  essential  to  happiness. 

2.  Alfred  the  Great  was  a  brave,  pious,  and  patriotic  prince. 

3.  Ilappy  is  the  man  who  honors,  obeys,  loves,  or  serves  his  Creator. 

4.  The  discourse  was  beautifully,  elegantly,  forcibly  delivered. 
6.  The  spirit  of  the  Almighty  is  within,  around,  and  above  us. 

REMARKS. 

a.  Some  punctuators  omit  the  comma  between  the  last  two  par 
ticulars,  when  united  by  either  of  the  conjunctions  and,  or,  nor.     But 
the  propriety  of  using  the  comma  will  perhaps  be  obvious  to  any  one 
who  examines  the  nature  of  such  sentences :  for  the  last  two  words 
of  a  series  are  not  more  closely  connected  in  sense  and  construction 
with  each  other  than  with  the  preceding  words ;  as,  "  Infancy,  child 
hood,  youth,  manhood,  and  age  are  different  stages  in  human  life." 

b.  When,  however,  three  words  of  the  same  part  of  speech  are 
in  juxtaposition,  the  last  being  preceded  by  and  or  or,  but  do  not 
form  a  series,  the  comma  is  omitted  before  the  conjunction;  as, "  By 
the  wise  arrangement  of  nature,  infancy  and  childhood  last  long." 
Here  the  noun  "  nature"  is  governed  by  the  preposition  "of;"  and 
the  two  following  nouns,  "  infancy  and  childhood,"  are  of  themselves 
the  compound  nominative  to  the  succeeding  verb.     The  punctuation, 
therefore,  differs  from  that  of  a  sentence  in  which  three  words  are 
used  in  a  series,  or  in  the  same  construction;  as,  "  Childhood,  youth, 
and  maturity  last  longer  or  shorter  in  different  individuals." 

c.  In  a  series  of  three  nouns  preceded  by  an  adjective  qualifying 
only  the  first,  the  comma  should  be  omitted  before  the  conjunction; 
as,  "  The  characteristics  of  Mr.  Mason's  mind  were  real  greatness, 
strength  and  sagacity." 

d.  A  comma  should  be  put  after  the  last  noun  in  a  series,  if  it  is 
not  joined  to  the  others  by  a  conjunction,  and  does  not  end  a  sentence 
or  clause ;  as,  u  Reputation,  virtue,  happiness,  depend  greatly  on  the 
choice  of  companions."  —  "  The  good  man  is  alive  to  all  the  sym 
pathies,  the  sanctities,  the  loves,  of  social  existence."     When,  how 
ever,  and,  or,  or  nor  occurs,  the  comma  is  unnecessary  after  the  last 


38  THE    COMMA. 

noun,  because  the  conjunction  shows  that  all  the  particulars  have, 
either  separately  or  together,  a  relation  to  what  follows  in  the 
sentence;  as,  "Reputation,  virtue,  and  happiness  depend  greatly  on 
the  choice  of  companions."  —  "The  good  man  is  alive  to  all  the 
sympathies,  the  sanctities,  and  the  loves  of  social  existence." 

e.  When  the  last  particular  is  one  of  several  qualifying  words,  it 
must  not  be  separated  by  a  point  from  that  portion  of  the  sentence 
on  which  it  acts ;  as,  "  Too  much  of  our  love  is  an  instinctive, 
vngoverned,  narrow,  selfish  feeling."  —  See  p.  33,  Remark  d. 

/.  But  a  comma  should  be  put  after  the  last  adjective  or  adverb, 
not  preceded  by  a  conjunction,  when  it  is  separated  by  the  other 
particulars  of  the  series  or  by  a  verb  from  the  word  qualified,  and 
does  not  finish  the  clause  or  sentence ;  as,  "  There  is  something 
real,  substantial,  immortal,  in  Christian  virtue."— "Exalted,  tender. 
beneficent,  is  the  love  that  woman  inspires." 

g.  When  the  last  governing  word  in  a  series  is  preceded  by  a  con 
junction,  a  comma  is  unnecessary  after  it;  but,  if  written  without 
a  conjunction,  the  comma  should  be  inserted;  as,  "God's  design  is 
to  recover,  exalt,  and  bless  the  guiltiest  of  our  race."  —  "  Endeavor  to 
elevate,  refine,  purify,  the  public  amusements."  When,  however, 
the  term  governed  is  only  a  monosyllabic  word,  the  comma  may  in 
such  cases  be  omitted;  as,  "  Teach,  urge,  threaten,  lecture  him." 

h.  When  three  or  more  words  of  the  same  part  of  speech,  and  in 
the  same  construction,  are  severally  connected  by  means  of  and,  or, 
or  nor,  the  comma  may  be  omitted  after  each  of  the  particulars ;  as, 
4  Let  us  freely  drink  in  the  soul  of  love  and  beauty  and  wisdom  from 
all  nature  and  art  and  history."  Some  writers  separate  all  such 
serial  words  by  a  comma;  but  a  mode  of  punctuation  so  stiff  as  this 
seldom  aids  in  developing  the  sense,  and,  in  sentences  requiring  other 
commas,  is  undoubtedly  offensive  to  the  eye,  if  it  does  not  obscure 
the  meaning  itself.  A  correct  reader  will,  however,  as  a  matter  ol 
course,  pause  more  or  less  after  each  particular,  in  accordance  with 
the  nature  of  the  sentiment. 

i.  But,  when  a  series  of  nouns  is  resolvable  into  two  or  more 
phrases,  each  having  two  coupled  words,  a  comma  should  be  used 
between  the  phrases ;  as,  "  A  Christian  spirit  may  be  manifested  to 
Greek  or  Jew,  male  or  female,  friend  or  foe." 

j.  When,  in  two  or  more  pairs,  only  the  last  pair  depends  on  a 
concluding  term,  the  comma  should  be  omitted  after  it ;  as,  "  The 
true  Christian  is  a  man  of  principle,  of  truth  and  integrity,  of  kind 
ness  and  modesty,  of  reverence  and  devotion  to  the  Supreme  Glory." 


SKKIKS    OF    WORDS.  39 

OKAL   EXERCISES. 
Recite  the  Rule  (p,  37)  for  tlie  insertion  of  commas  in  the  following  sentences  i  — 

Learn  patience,  calmness,  self-command,  disinterestedness,  love. 
The  mind  is  that  which  knows,  feels,  and  thinks. 
Honor,  affluence,  and  pleasure  seduce  the  heart. 
Milton's  poetry  is  always  healthful,  bright,  and  vigorous. 
The  child  can  creep,  skip,  walk,  or  run. 

Let  great  principles  be  wrought  into  the  mind,  the  heart,  the  life. 
The  work  was  neither  dexterously,  quickly,  nor  well  done. 
The  love  that  woman  inspires  is  exalted,  tender,  and  beneficent. 


Agreeably  to  t/tc  Remarks  (pp.  37,  38),  state  t.fie  reasons  for  t/ie  insertion  or  the 
omission  of  commas  in  the  following  sentences  :  — 

Aristotle,  Cicero,  and  Quintilian  are  high  authorities  in  rhetoric. 

The  tendency  of  poetry  is  to  refine,  purify,  expand,  and  elevate. 

God  is  the  source,  object,  model,  of  perfect  love. 

The  air,  the  earth,  the  water,  teem  with  delighted  existence. 

His  reign  is  that  of  a  great,  godlike,  disinterested  being. 

Wise,  eloquent,  cautious,  intrepid,  was  Ulysses. 

The  arts  prolong,  comfort,  and  cheer  human  life. 

Charity  beareth,  belie veth,  hopeth,  all  things. 

The  man  professed  neither  to  eat  nor  drink  nor  sleep. 

The  poor  and  rich,  and  weak  and  strong,  have  all  one  Father. 


Say  why  the  umusion  of  a  comma  between  the  last  two  conjoined  nouns  t»  the 
following  sentences  does  not  accord  with  the  Ruu,  but  with  Remark  b:  — 

In  Paradise,  Adam  and  Eve  reigned  supreme.  There  was,  in 
Eve's  every  gesture,  dignity  and  love. 

According  to  the  Thompsonian  philosophy,  heat  and  cold  aro 
antagonist  identities. 

In  two  branches  of  science,  chemistry  and  natural  history,  medi 
cal  men  have  been  the  most  successful  laborers. 

It  is  well  calculated  to  render  the  timber  impenetrable  to  the 
agents  of  decomposition,  —  air  and  moisture. 

Dr.  Twitchell's  wonderful  faculty  often  rendered  the  unintelligible 
plain  and  clear. 

In  reference  to  time,  hours  and  days  are  of  great  hup Jitauce :  in 
respect  to  eternity,  years  and  ages  are  nothing. 


40  THE    COMMA. 


EXERCISE  TO   BE  WRITTEN. 

In  putting  trnmax  between  or  after  the  serial  words  in  the  following  sentence*, 
be  guided  by  die  tfiird  Rule  and  tlie  Remarks  (pp.  37,  38) :  — 

Let  holiness  goodness  virtue  be  to  you  the  pearl  of  great  price. 
(Rule,  and  first  portion  of  Remark  d.) 

The  recovery  of  our  little  darling  dancing  singing  Mary  is  worth 
all  the  gold  that  ever  was  mined.  (Rule,  and  Remark  e.) 

The  hardships  of  a  good  life  prove  refine  and  exalt  the  human 
character.  (Rule,  and  first  portion  of  Remark  g.) 

No  one  can  find  peace  but  in  the  growth  of  an  enlightened  firm 
disinterested  holy  mind.  (Rule,  and  Remark  e.) 

Ease  indulgence  luxury  sloth  are  the  sources  of  misery ;  making  a 
man  a  poor  sordid  selfish  wretched  being.  (Rule,  and  Remarks  d,  e.) 

A  great  soul  is  known  by  its  enlarged  strong  and  tender  sympa 
thies.  (Rule,  Remark  e,  and  last  of  d.) 

All  that  charms  the  eye  or  the  ear  or  the  imagination  or  the  heart 
is  the  gift  of  God.  (Remark  h.) 

The  Indian  nut  alone  is  clothing,  meat  and  trencher  drink  and 
can.  (Remark  i.) 

All  have  some  conceptions  of  truth  kindness  honesty  self-denial 
and  disinterestedness.  (Rule,  and  Remark  a.) 

In  a  city  there  is  much  to  inflame  imbitter  degrade  the  minds 
of  the  poor.  (Rule,  and  second  portion  of  g.) 

Let  us  every  day  become  more  pure  kind  gentle  patient  spiritual 
and  devout.  (Rule,  and  Remark  a.) 

Meekly  truthfully  disinterestedly  the  dying  man  had  trod  the  path 
of  life.  (Rule,  and  Remark  /.) 

In  heaven  live  the  friends  benefactors  deliverers  ornaments  of  theii 
race.  (Rule,  and  first  of  Remark  d) 

True  courage  is  the  exercise  result  and  expression  of  the  highest 
attributes  of  our  nature.  (Rule,  and  last  of  Remark  d.) 

Some  have  unreasonably  denied  the  strength  and  fervor  and  en- 
duringness  of  Human  love.  (Remark  h.) 

The  Hebrew  is  closely  allied  to  the  Arabic  the  Phoenician  the  old 
Persian  the  Syriac  and  the  Chaldee.  (Rule,  and  Remark  a.) 

You  are  a  parent  or  a  child  a  brother  or  a  sister  a  husband  or  a 
wife  a  friend  or  an  associate  of  some  kindred  soul.  (Remark  j.) 

Our  present  knowledge  thoughts  feelings  characters  are  the 
results  of  former  impressions  passions  and  pursuits.  (Rule,  and 
Remarks  d,  a.) 


WORDS    IN    APPOSITION.  41 

RULE    IV. 

Nouns  or  Phrases  in  Apposition. 

§  I.  Two  nouns  or  personal  pronouns,  01  a  noun  and 
pronoun,  one  in  apposition  with  the  other,  should  not 
be  separated  by  a  comma,  if  they  may  be  regarded  as 
a  proper  name  or  as  a  single  phrase. 

§  II.  But  a  noun  or  pronoun  and  a  phrase,  or  two  or 
more  phrases,  when  put  in  apposition,  are  separated  by 
a  comma  from  each  other,  and,  if  the  sentence  or  clause 
is  unfinished,  from  what  follows. 

EXAMPLES. 

II. 

1.  The  poet  Milton  wrote  excellent  prose  and  better  poetry. 

2.  It  is  well  known  that  the  word  "  philosopher  "  signifies  lover  of  wisdom. 

3.  He  himself  was  the  editor  of  the  work ;  but  he  left  it  a  botch. 

in. 

1.  Homer,  the  greatest  poet  of  antiquity,  is  said  to  have  been  blind. 

2.  We,  the  people  of  the  United  States ,  are  lovers  of  republicanism. 
8.  The  twin  sisters,  Piety  and  Poetry,  are  wont  to  dwell  together. 

REMARKS. 

a.  The  term  noun  here  is  so  used  as  to  apply  either  to  a  single 
word  of  this  character,  or  to  an  unemphatic  word  and  a  noun.    Thus, 
both  words,  "  the  poet,"  in  the  first  example,  are,  to  avoid  circum 
locution,  spoken  of  as  a  noun,  and  not  as  a  phrase. 

b.  When  two  or  more  words  can  be  treated  as  one  compound 
name  or  as  a  single  phrase,  they  do  not  admit  a  comma  between 
them;  as,  "Alexander  of  Macedon;   Sir  William  Jones;  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ;  the  Lord  God  Almighty."     But  if  names,  titles,  or 
characteristics  are  so  applied  as  to  vary  the  thought,  or  produce 
a  separate  impression  on  the  mind,  they  should  be  set  apart  by  a 
comma;  as,  "Worship  thy  Creator,  God;  and  obey  his  Son,  the 
Master,  King,  and  Saviour  of  men." 

c.  The  word  brothers,  when  put  in  apposition  with  a  proper  name 
hi  a  firm,  is  left  unpointed ;  as,  "  Smith  Brothers  and  Co."     But 
when  used,  either  in  the  singular  or  plural  number,  to  convey  the 
notion  of  another  person,  it  is  not  in  apposition,  and  must  thereforo 
be  distinguished  by  the  comma;  as,  "  Smith,  Brother,  and  Co." 


42  THE    COMMA. 

d.  Proper  names,  when  inverted,  are  separated  by  a  comma;  as, 
44  James,  Thomas;   Williamson,  John;"  meaning  Thomas  James  and 
John  Williamson. 

e.  After  the  word  price,  when  immediately  preceding  the  value 
of  any  commodity,  the  comma  may  be  omitted ;  as,  "  Price  $  5,"  or 
"  Price  fifty  cents." 

f.  A  comma  is  put  between  two  nouns  or  pronouns  if  used  syno 
nymously,  or  if  the  latter  expresses  an  illustrative  or  an  additional 
thought;  as,  "Force  of  voice  is  strength,  energy;  vivacity  is  life, 
animation."  —  "  A  son,  John,  was  born  after  his  father's  death." 

g.  When  a  proper  name  is  put  after  a  phrase  in  apposition,  the 
comma  may  be  omitted ;  as,  "  The  great  orator  Cicero  was  famed  for 
many  excellences."     Unless  where  the  noun  is  introduced  by  way 
of  explanation  or  parenthesis;  and,  in  such  a  case,  it  is  preceded  by 
a  comma,  and,  in  an  unfinished  clause,  followed  by  the  same  point; 
as,  "  The  wisest  of  the  Jewish  kings,  Solomon,  became  a  fool." 

h.  When  the  first  of  two  nouns  of  the  possessive  case  has  the  sign 
of  possession,  a  comma  should  intervene  between  them ;  as,  "  The 
work  will  be  found  at  Appletorfs,  the  bookseller."  But,  if  the  posses 
sive  sign  is  omitted  after  the  first  noun,  and  put  after  the  second, 
the  comma  may  be  dispensed  with ;  as,  "  It  will  be  seen  at  Putnam 
the  publisher's."  Should,  however,  this  mode  of  writing  be  so  con 
structed  as  to  have,  for  the  unmarked  possessive,  several  names 
constituting  a  firm,  a  comma  should  be  inserted  before  the  noun 
ending  with  the  s  and  apostrophe ;  as,  "  The  young  man  is  a  clerk 
at  Little,  Brown,  and  Qmpany,  the  publishers' ;"  the  awkwardness  of 
the  punctuation  here  arising  from  the  clumsiness  of  the  expression. 

*.  If  a  term,  preceding  a  noun  or  a  pronoun,  is  used  absolutely, 
a  comma  is  inserted  only  between  them;  as,  "A  trifling  scholar, 
he  heeds  not  the  lessons  of  instruction." 

j.  When  a  pronoun  of  the  second  person  immediately  precedes  a 
noun,  a  relative  pronoun,  or  a  word  or  phrase  used  for  a  noun,  the 
comma  is  unnecessary  between  them ;  as,  "  Thou  river,  roll ;  ye  who 
are  aged,  come;  all  ye  high  Powers."  But  if  the  pronoun,  as  the 
nominative  to  a  verb,  or  as  the  antecedent  of  a  relative,  is  separated 
from  them,  or  if  it  is  put  in  the  objective  case,  a  comma  should  be 
put  before  and  after  the  intervening  term ;  as,  "  Thou,  Father,  markesi 
the  tears  I  shed."  "What  art  thou,  execrable  shape,  that  darest 
advance  ?  "  "  On  thee,  beloved,  I  wait." 

k.  When  the  latter  of  two  nouns  or  phrases  is  predicated  of  the 
former,  the  comma  is  not  required  between  them ;  as,  "  Plutarch  calls 


WORDS    IN    APPOSITION.  43 

Iving  the  vice  of  slavet."  —  "  The  Romans  thought  Augustus  Caesar  a 
god."  — "  1  consider  Dr.  Johnson  as  an  excellent  moralist."  So  also 
if  the  subject  spoken  of  be  a  pronoun;  as,  u  The  people  elected  him 
president  of  the  United  States." 

ORAL   EXERCISES. 

.%oto  how  the  following  sentences  exemplify  Vie  fourth  Rule,  in  respect  to  the 
insertion  or  omissioii  of  commas :  — 

Friends,  the  beloved  of  my  bosom,  were  near. 

Mahomet  was  a  native  of  Mecca,  a  city  in  Arabia. 

The  emperor  Antoninus  wrote  an  excellent  work  on  morals. 

The  term  "  reason  "  has  been  variously  defined. 

Diogenes,  the  Greek  philosopher,  lived  in  a  tub. 

Bowditch  the  astronomer  translated  the  "  Mecanique  Celeste." 

Newton,  the  great  mathematician,  was  very  modest. 

The  butterfly,  child  of  the  summer,  flutters  in  the  sun. 

Hope,  the  balm  of  life,  soothes  us  under  every  misfortune. 

Spenser  the  poet  lived  in  the  reign  of  Queen  Elizabeth. 

Art  thou  that  traitor  angel  who  first  broke  peace  in  heaven? 

I  Paul,  the  prisoner  of  Jesus  Christ  for  you  Gentiles. 

I,  thy  father-in-law  Jethro,  am  come  unto  thee. 


Say  why,  according  to  the  Remarks  (pp.  41,  42),  commas  are  inserted  or  smutted 
t»  the  following  sentences :  — 

The  emperor  Augustus  was  a  patron  of  the  fine  arts. 

The  frigate  "  Jamestown  "  conveyed  corn  to  the  suffering  Irish. 

God  is  a  Father-God,  a  God  of  paternal  love. 

To  thee  we  bow,  Friend,  Father,  King  of  kings ! 

"Adjunct"  is  derived  from  adjunctum,  addition,  something  added- 

Ease,  rest,  owes  its  deliciousness  to  toil. 

William  was  slain ;  leaving  one  child,  Alice. 

The  eloquent  preacher  Massillon  was  a  Frenchman. 

The  author  of  "  Paradise  Lost,"  Milton,  was  a  noble-minded  man 

At  Thomson  the  hatter's  store.     At  Thomson's,  the  hatter. 

A  brave  boy,  he  could  not  injure  others. 

0  Thou  whose  love  can  ne'er  forget  its  offspring,  man! 

Ye  powers  and  spirits  of  this  nethermost  abyss. 

Thou,  Lord,  art  the  life  and  light  of  all  this  wondrous  world. 

All  agree  in  designating  Howard  a  philanthropist. 


44  THE    COMMA 

EXERCISE   TO   BE   WRITTEN. 
Insert  commas  where,  according  to  pages  41-43,  they  are  required :  — 

In  Greek,  the  word  "  poet"  denotes  a  maker  a  creator.  (Rule, 
§  I.;  and  Remarks  a,/.) 

The  apostle  John  was  peculiarly  beloved  by  his  divine  Master 
Jesus  Christ  the  Saviour  of  the  world.  (Rule,  and  Remark  6.) 

The  capital  of  Turkey  Constantinople  is  finely  situated  on  the 
European  side  of  the  Bosphorus.  (Last  of  Remark  g.) 

General  Washington  the  first  president  of  the  United  States  was  a 
true  patriot  a  genuine  lover  of  his  country.  (Rule,  and  Remark  b.) 

Marcus  Aurelius  Antoninus  says,  "  Often  return  to  your  true 
mother  philosophy."  (Remark  6,  first  portion;  and  Remark  f.) 

Much  stress  was  laid  upon  pronunciation  delivery  by  the  most 
eloquent  of  all  orators  Demosthenes.  (Remark  f,  and  last  of  g.) 

London  the  capital  of  Great  Britain  contains  nearly  three  millions 
of  inhabitants.  (Rule,  §  n.) 

A  great  and  gloomy  man  the  king  sat  upon  the  throne  of  his 
ancestors.  ( Remark  i. ) 

I  recommend  the  reading  of  good  books  as  a  source  of  improve 
ment  and  delight.  (Remark  k.) 

The  first  expedition  of  Columbus  was  fitted  out  by  John  of  Anjou 
Duke  of  Calabria.  (Rule,  §  n.;  and  Remark  6.) 

0  Thou  who  hast  at  thy  command  the  hearts  of  all  men  in  thy 
hand !     ( First  of  Remark  ./. ) 

1  Artaxerxes  the  king  decree  that  whatsoever  Ezra  the  priest  the 
scribe  of  the  law  shall  require,  &c.    (Rule,  and  Remark  b.) 

You  blocks!  you  stones!  you  worse  than  senseless  things!  0 
you  hard  hearts !  you  cruel  men  of  Rome !  ( First  of  Remark  j.) 

And,  when  the  angel  Death  stands  by,  be  thou  my  God  my  helper 
nigh.  (Rule,  Remark  6,  and  last  of  j.) 

When,  as  returns  this  solemn  day,  man  comes  to  meet  his  Maker 
God.  (Last  of  Remark  b.) 

The  world-famed  dramatist  Shakspeare  lived  in  the  reign  of  the 
greatest  of  English  queens  Elizabeth.  (Remark  g.) 

Adonijah  the  son  of  Haggith  came  to  Bathsheba  the  mother  of 
Solomon.  (Rule,  §  n.) 

In  the  firm  of  Graham  Brother  and  Co.  there  are  three  persons  in 
partnership,  —  James  Graham,  his  younger  brother,  and  John  Jones; 
but  I  do  not  know  how  many  there  are  in  the  firm  of  Kennedy 
Brothers,  —  whether  there  be  two  or  more.  (Remark  c.) 


WORDS    OR    PHRASES    IN    CONTRAST.  45 

RULE    V. 

Words  or  Phrases  in  Contrast. 

Words  or  phrases  contrasted  with  each  other,  or 
having  a  mutual  relation  to  others  that  follow  them,  in 
the  same  clause,  are  separated  by  commas. 

EXAMPLES. 

1.  False  delicacy  is  affectation,  not  politeness. 

2.  The  author  of  that  work  was  a  distinguished  poet,  but  a  bad  man. 

3.  Many  persons  gratify  their  eyes  and  ears,  instead  of  their  understandings. 

4.  Prudence,  as  well  as  courage,  is  necessary  to  overcome  obstacles. 
6.  Strong  proofs,  not  a  lead  voice,  produce  conviction. 

6.  One  may  utter  many  pompous,  and  speak  but  few  intelligible,  words 

7.  Avoid,  or  rather  prevent  the  introduction  of,  so  pernicious  a  fashion. 

8.  Good  men  are  not  always  found  in  union  with,  but  sometimes  in  opposition 

to,  the  views  and  conduct  of  one  another 

REMARKS. 

a.  Not  a  few  authors  would  write  the  sixth  example  without  a 
comma  after  the  adjective  "intelligible."     But  though  it  is  well  to 
avoid  the  use  of  the  point  after  a  qualifying  or  a  governing  word  when 
its  omission  could  effect  no  ambiguity,  as  in  the  phrase  "  deep,  lonely 
thought,"  and  others  referred  to  in  p.  33,  Remark  d;  yet  where,  as 
in  the  instance  under  the  present  rule,  the  words  or  phrases,  which 
have  a  common  bearing  on  one  and  the  same  expression,  are  apart, 
and  the  first  is  properly  set  off  by  a  comma,  the  insertion  of  a  cor 
responding  comma  after  the  second  seems  requisite  for  an  easy 
obtaining  of  the  sense.    And  this,  indeed,  is  the  usage  of  the  best, 
though  perhaps  not  of  the  most  numerous,  punctuators. 

b.  The  seventh  and  eighth  examples  are  introduced  here,  not  as 
models  of  composition,  but  to  show  that  the  harshness  of  their  con 
struction  demands  a  corresponding  rigor  in  the  mode  of  punctuation. 
This,  however,  the  student  may  sometimes  avoid  in  his  own  compo 
sition,  by  giving  to  his  style  greater  freedom  and  elegance.     For 
instance,  the  seventh  example  might  be  thus  constructed  and  pointed: 
"  Avoid  so  pernicious  a  fashion,  or  rather  prevent  its  introduction." 

c.  When  two  contrasted  or  related  words,  united  by  either  of  the 
conjunctions  but,  though,  yet,  as  well  as,  qualify  a  following  noun  or 
phrase,  or  refer  to  the  same  preposition,  the  comma  may  be  omitted: 
as, "  Caesar  delivered  his  orations  hi  elegant  but  powerful  language.'" 


46  THE    COMMA. 

"He  was  a  great  though  an  erring  man."  —  "Hercules  had  the 
strength  as  well  as  the  courage  of  the  lion." 

d.  But  if  the  adverb  not,  either  with  or  without  a  conjunction, 
comes  between  two  such  words,  a  comma  should  be  used  after  each, 
in  accordance  with  the  Rule,  to  indicate  their  common  dependence 
on  the  last  portion  of  the  sentence ;  as,  "  The  strong  and  violent 
emotions  are  the  natural  produce  of  an  early,  if  not  of  a  savage, 
state  of  society." 

e.  If  the  above-mentioned  conjunctions  unite  not  two  words,  but 
a  word  and  a  phrase,  or  two  phrases,  the  commas  should  be  inserted ; 
as,  "  Intemperance  not  only  wastes  the  earnings,  but  the  health  and 
minds,  of  men." 

f.  Two  words  or  phrases  connected  by  but  or  yet,  or  if  either  of 
these  conjunctions  be  understood,  are  separated  by  a  comma,  when 
the  first  term  is  preceded  by  not  or  tlwugh ;  as,  "  Not  beautiful,  but 
graceful."  — "  Though  black,  yet  comely;  and  though  rash,  benign." 

g.  Commas  should  not  be  used  between  words  contrasted  in  pairs, 
and  having  prepositions  or  conjunctions  between  them;  as,  "Let 
elevation  without  turgidness,  purity  without  primness,  pathos  leithaut 
whining,  characterize  our  style."  —  "Nothing  is  more  wise  or  more 
admirable  in  action  than  to  be  resolute  and  yet  calm,  earnest  and  yet 
self-possessed,  decided  and  yet  modest." 

h.  When  a  negative  word  or  phrase  is  put  before  an  affirmative 
one,  and  does  not  commence  the  sentence,  the  phrases  are  separated 
by  a  comma,  not  only  from  each  other,  but  from  that  portion  of  the 
sentence  with  which  they  are  connected ;  as,  "  The  greatest  evils 
arise  to  human  society,  not  from  urild  beasts,  but  from  untamed  pas 
sions." 

».  If,  however,  the  word  expressing  negation  is  not  put  in  imme 
diate  connection  with  one  of  the  phrases,  but  in  that  portion  of  the 
sentence  on  which  they  depend;  or  if  a  finite  verb,  active  or  neuter, 
immediately  precedes  the  negative,  the  comma  should  be  omitted 
before  the  first  phrase;  as,  "  The  greatest  evils  do  not  arise  to  human 
society  from  wild  beasts,  but  from  untamed  passions."  —  "The 
greatest  evils  to  human  society  arise  not  from  wild  beasts,  but  from 
untamed  passions."  —  "  It  is  not  from  wild  beasts,  but  from  untamed 
passions,  that  the  greatest  evils  arise  to  human  society." 

j.  In  some  instances,  where  the  insertion  of  a  comma  between 
contrasted  phrases,  used  as  a  compound  intermediate  expression, 
would  tend  to  obscure  the  connection  subsisting  between  the  parts 
of  a  sentence,  the  point  between  the  phrases  may  be  omitted;  as, 


WORDS    OK    1' lilt  ASKS    IN    CONTRAST.  47 

« The  wise  and  good  of  every  name  are,  with  diversity  of  gifts  bul 
the  same  spirit,  striving,  each  in  his  own  way,  to  carry  society  for 
ward  into  a  healthier  condition  than  the  present."  By  inserting  a 
comma  after  "  gifts,"  —  a  mode  of  pointing  which  is  correct  in  itself, 
—  the  relation  between  the  verb  "  are  "  and  the  participle  "  striving  " 
would  be  in  some  measure  concealed  from  the  eye. 

k.  The  principle  of  omission  exemplified  in  the  preceding  remark 
may  be  occasionally  applied  to  sentences  of  a  different  construction 
where  words  or  expressions,  admitting  a  comma  without  its  being 
essential  to  the  sense,  are  united  to  others  from  which  the  commas 
cannot  at  all  be  excluded.  If  this  principle  is  judiciously  applied, 
the  relations  and  dependencies  of  the  several  parts  of  a  sentence  will 
be  often  exhibited  to  much  advantage. 


ORAL  EXERCISES. 

Why,  according  to  the  fifth  Rule,  should  certain  words  and  phrases  in  the  fol 
lowing  sentences  be  set  off  by  commas'*  — 

Truth  is  not  a  stagnant  pool,  but  a  fountain. 
Measure  your  life  by  acts  of  goodness,  not  by  years. 
Intrinsic  worth,  and  not  riches,  ought  to  procure  esteem. 
Speak  for,  not  against,  the  principles  of  love  and  peace. 
You  were  paid  to  fight  against,  and  not  to  rail  at,  Alexander 
Washington  was  the  head  of  the  nation,  and  not  of  a  party. 
Though  deep,  yet  clear ;  though  gentle,  yet  not  dull. 
Rhetoric  is  the  science,  and  oratory  the  art,  of  speaking  well 
There  are  few  voices  in  the  world,  but  many  echoes. 


State  the  principles,  as  given  in  the  Remarks,  for  the  omission  or  the  insertion 
of  commas  in  the  following  sentences  t  — 

Philosophy  makes  us  wiser,  Christianity  makes  us  better,  men. 

Milton  burned  with  a  deep  yet  calm  love  of  moral  grandeur. 

He  was  not  only  the  teacher  but  the  model  of  his  pupils. 

Socrates  was  directed  by  a  good,  if  not  a  divine,  genius. 

Learning  is  the  ally,  not  the  adversary,  of  genius. 

The  man  suffered  not  only  in  his  estate,  but  in  his  reputation. 

It  is  the  duty  of  a  child,  not  to  direct,  but  to  obey,  his  parent*. 

Religion  dwells  not  in  the  tongue,  but  in  the  heart. 

To  die  for  truth  is  not  to  die  for  one's  country,  but  for  the  world. 

We  ought  not  to  betray,  but  to  defend,  our  country. 


48  THE    COMMA. 


EXERCISE   TO   BE   WRITTEN. 

Punctuate  those  sentences  which,  require  commas,  in  accordance  with  the  princi 
ples  laid  down  in  Vie  preceding  Rule  and  Remarks  (pp.  45-47) :  — 

It  is  not  the  business  of  virtue  to  extirpate  the  affections  but  to 
regulate  them.  (Rule,  and  Remark  L) 

We  live  in  deeds  not  years ;  in  thoughts  not  breaths ;  in  feelings 
not  in  figures  on  a  dial.  (Rule.) 

Novel-reading  is  generally  calculated  to  weaken  if  not  to  debase 
the  moral  powers.  (Rule,  and  Remark  d.) 

Punishments  often  shock  instead  of  harmonizing  with  the  com 
mon  feeling  and  sense  of  justice.  (Rule.) 

Most  of  Homer's  defects  may  reasonably  be  imputed  not  to  his 
genius  but  to  the  manners  of  the  age  in  which  he  lived.  (Rem.  h.) 

He  who  is  insensible  to  praise  is  either  raised  far  above  or  sunk 
much  below  the  ordinary  standard  of  human  nature.  (Rule.) 

Knowledge  is  conducive  if  not  essential  to  all  the  ends  of  virtue 
(Rule,  and  Remark  d.) 

Zeal  without  knowledge,  prudence  without  courage,  and  peace- 
fulness  without  principle,  are  dangerous  qualities.  (Remark  g.) 

Christians  have  cast  away  the  spirit  in  settling  the  precise  dignity 
of  their  Master.  (Rule.) 

The  Pyrrhonists  not  only  doubted  of  every  thing  they  saw  and 
heard  but  of  their  own  existence.  (Rule,  and  Remark  ».) 

A  lofty  rectitude  marked  every  small  as  well  as  every  great 
action  of  Washington's  life.  (Remark  c.) 

The  treasures  of  wisdom  are  not  to  be  seized  with  a  violent  hanu 
but  to  be  earned  by  persevering  labor.  (Rule,  and  Remark  i.) 

The  literature  of  a  nation  is  one  of  its  highest  and  certainly  one 
of  its  most  refined  elements  of  greatness  and  order.  (Rule.) 

These  who  flatter  the  prejudices  of  others  are  the  enemies  not  the 
friends  of  the  improvement  and  happiness  of  mankind.  (Remark  d.) 

God's  love  to  us  is  not  a  technical  dogma  but  a  living  and  practi 
cal  truth.  (Rule.) 

Christianity  may  harmonize  with  but  it  needs  not  the  sanction  of 
philosophy.  (Rule,  and  Remark  6.) 

A  man's  self-reproach  may  be  less  for  what  one  has  than  for  what 
he  has  not  done.  (Rule.) 

Whenever  words  are  contrasted  with  contradistinguished  from 
or  opposed  to  other  words,  they  are  always  emphatical.  (Rnle,  and 
Remark  6.) 


WORDS    OR    PHRASES    IN    CONTRAST.  49 

Motives  of  the  most  sincere  though  fanciful  devotion  induced  the 
old  man  to  renew  the  half-defaced  inscriptions  on  the  tombs  of  his 
ancestors.  (Remarkc.) 

Benevolence  is  not  merely  a  feeling  but  a  principle ;  not  a  dream 
of  rapture  for  the  fancy  to  indulge  it  but  a  business  for  the  hand  to 
execute.  (Rule,  and  Remark/.) 

The  missionary  went  forth,  not  only  with  the  wisdom  of  the  ser 
pent  but  with  the  simplicity  of  the  dove,  to  do  battle  against  every 
form  of  error  and  vice.  (Remark  j.) 

Society  proceeds  from  barbarity  to  refinement,  from  ignorance  to 
knowledge,  from  wealth  to  corruption,  and  from  corruption  to  ruin. 
(Remark  g.) 

Every  one  can  distinguish  an  angry  from  a  placid  a  cheerful  from 
a  melancholy  a  thoughtful  from  a  thoughtless  and  a  dull  from  a  pene 
trating  countenance.  (Remarks  g,  a,  and  Rule.) 

Though  unavoidable  calamities  make  a  part  yet  they  make  not 
the  chief  part  of  the  vexations  and  sorrows  that  distress  human  life. 
(Rule,  and  Remark  /.) 

The  great  object  of  education  is  not  to  store  the  mind  with 
knowledge  but  to  give  activity  and  vigor  to  its  powers.  (Remark  it 
and  Rule.) 

We  are  so  made  as  to  be  capable  not  only  of  perceiving  but  also 
of  being  pleased  with  or  pained  by  the  various  objects  by  which  we 
are  surrounded.  (Rule,  and  Remarks  h,  b.) 

From  the  hour  at  which  printing  was  invented,  the  brain  and  not 
the  arm,  the  thinker  and  not  the  soldier,  books  and  not  kings,  were 
to  rule  the  world.  (Remark  g.) 

A  rhetorical  sometimes  a  grammatical  pause  should  be  used  after 
words  in  apposition  with  or  in  opposition  to  each  other.  (Rule,  and 
Remarks  a,  6.) 

Poetry  is  a  voice  that  issues  from  and  finds  its  echoes  in  the  deep 
popular  heart,  where  lies  the  source  of  all  faith  and  of  all  enthusiasm 
for  good.  (Rule,  and  Remark  b.) 

Contrasted  faults  through  all  their  manners  reign : 

Though  poor  luxurious ;  though  submissive  vain ; 

Though  grave  yet  trifling;  zealous  yet  untrue; 

And,  even  in  penance,  planning  sins  anew.        (Rule,  and  Remark  /.) 

By  the  side  of  man  should  stand  woman,  —  not  Amazonian  but 
angelic ;  gentle  yet  godlike  in  works  of  knowledge  and  duty ;  meek 
yet  mighty  in  all  the  miracles  of  charity  and  benevolence.  (Rule, 
and  Remark/.) 

4 


50  THE    COMMA. 

RULE    VI. 

The  Subject  and  the  Predicate. 

No  point,  or  pause-mark,  is  admissible  between  the 
subject  or  nominative  and  the  predicate,  or  after  any 
word  that  has  a  direct  bearing  on  an  expression  which 
immediately  follows. 


KXAMPLES. 

1.  Poetry  has  a  natural  alliance  with  the  best  affections  of  the  human  heart 

2.  A  grandee  on  the  exchange  may  be  a  pauper  in  God's  universe. 

3.  To  be  totally  indifferent  to  praise  or  censure  is  a  real  defect  in  character. 

4.  The  love  which  survives  the  tomb  is  one  of  the  noblest  attributes  of  the  soul. 

REMARKS. 

o.  In  the  above  examples,  the  words  "  poetry,"  "  grandee,"  "  to 
be  indifferent"  (equivalent  to  the  noun  indifference),  and  "love," 
are  the  several  nominatives  to  the  verbs  "  has,"  "  may  be,"  and  "  is." 
Such  phrases  as  "  a  grandee  on  the  exchange,"  "  to  be  totally  indif 
ferent  to  praise  or  censure,"  are  sometimes  called  nominative  phraset ; 
and  such  an  expression  as  "  the  love  which  survives  the  tomb,"  a 
nominative  clause.  (See  pp.  21,  22 ;  V.,  VI.)  But,  logically  speaking, 
all  these  are  the  subjects  of  what  are  severally  predicated  of  them. 

b.  In  these  examples,  with  a  partial  exception  in  the  first,  the 
nominatives  and  verbs  are  accompanied  by  certain  modifying  or 
limiting  phrases,  so  strictly  connected  in  sense  with  the  former  as  to 
be  grammatically  inseparable  from  them.     In  other  words,  each  of 
the  sentences  expresses  an  uninterrupted  flow  of  thought,  and  there 
fore  allows  no  marked  division. 

c.  There  is,  however,  a  class  of  sentences  in  which  the  subject  or 
the  predicate  is  accompanied  with  expressions,  qualifying  or  expla 
natory,  that  are  separable  from  the  portions  with  which  they  are 
connected ;  as,  "  The  weakest  reasoners,  especially  on  the  subject  of 
religion,  are,  generally  speaking,  the  most  positive."  --"  Health,  which 
is  God's  gift,  should  be  preserved."     Expressions  of  this  kind  are 
sometimes  termed  parenthetical  or  intermediate,  and  will  be  particu 
larly  considered  under  Rule  VIII.     In  every  such  case,  two  commas 
must  be  used,  as  above,  to  show  the  relation  of  the  nominative  to  its 
verb,  and  that  of  the  verb  to  the  chief  words  in  the  predicate. 


SUBJECT    AND    PREDICATE.  51 

d.  In  the  rule,  it  is  said  that  no  pause-marA;  is  admissible  under 
certain  circumstances,  therein  specified.     This  qualification  of  the 
principle  laid  down  will  be  clearly  understood,  if  the  learner  bear  in 
mind  that  pauses  are  of  two  kinds :  first,  those  which  are  marked,  or 
represented  to  the  eye,  by  the  common  grammatical  points,  exhibit 
ing  the  constituent  parts  of  sentences ;  and,  second,  those  which  are 
unmarked,  —  such  rhetoi'ical  pauses  as  are  omitted  in  writing  and 
printing,  but  required  in  reading  aloud.    Thus,  in  the  examples  under 
the  rule,  the  sense  and  the  construction  alike  forbid  the  comma  to 
interfere  in  separating  the  nominative  or  subject  from  the  verb ;  and 
yet  a  correct  elocution  demands  between  them  a  slight  pause. 

e.  From  want  of  attending  to  the  distinction  bet'veen  these  two 
kinds  of  pauses,  some  writers  would  place  a  comma  immediately 
before  the  verb,  when  its  subject  consists  of  a  number  of  words,  or, 
as  it  is  commonly  expressed,  when  the  nominative  is  accompanied 
with  an  inseparable  adjunct;  as,  "  The  good  taste  of  the  present  age, 
has  not  allowed  us  to  neglect  the  cultivation  of  the  English  language." 
But  unless  where,  in  any  given  sentence,  the  length  of  the  subject 
would  give  rise  to  ambiguity  or  to  difficulty  in  reading  it,  this  mode 
of  punctuation  seems  to  be  useless.     Indeed  the  reason  assigned  on 
its  behalf  is  a  sufficient  ground  for  its  rejection;  namely,  that  the 
nominative  is  accompanied  with  an  inseparable  adjunct.     For  if  the 
adjunct  cannot  be  separated  from  the  nominative,  and  if  the  nomi 
native  is  intimately  joined  in  sense  with  the  verb  which  it  governs, 
surely  the  relation  subsisting  between  them  should  not  be  broken  up, 
except  in  cases  where  it  is  absolutely  necessary.    That  such  adjuncts, 
too,  are  as  intimately  and  grammatically  connected  with  the  verb  as 
they  are  with  the  nominative,  and  that  they  cannot  well  stand  apart, 
will  be  obvious  from  the  example  already  given,  which  means  that 
"  the  good  taste  of  the  present  age  has  not  allowed  us  "  —  and  not 
that  "  the  good  taste  has  not  allowed  us  "  —  "  to  neglect  the  cultiva 
tion  of  the  English  language."     Sentences  of  this  kind  are  obviously 
very  different  from  those  in  which  adjuncts,  or  modifying  words,  are 
separable  both  from  the  nominative  and  from  the  verb,  as  in  the 
examples  cited  in  Remark  c,  where  a  comma,  both  before  and  after 
the  intervening  phrase,  serves  to  bring  together  the  parts  related  to 
each  other.    The  pointing  objected  to  is  based  on  a  theory  which 
cannot  be  reduced  to  practice,  —  that  every  expression,  separated 
from  another  by  the  smallest  cessation  of  the  voice,  should  be  indi 
cated  by  a  mark ;  but  we  again  repeat,  that  only  by  the  sense  and 
the  grammatical  form  of  a  passage,  and  not  by  the  rhetorical  mode 


52  THE    COMMA. 

of  its  delivery,  must  the  art  of  punctuation  be  regulated,  at  least  so 
far  as  the  common  points  are  concerned. 

f.  To  the  rule  here  recommended,  there  are,  however,  several 
exceptions,  required  by  the  peculiar  form  in  which  a  proposition  is 
sometimes  expressed,  and  by  the  fact  that  the  insertion  of  a  comma 
between  the  subject  and  the  predicate  tends  occasionally  to  a  clearer 
perception  of  an  author's  meaning.  The  exceptions  are  as  follow:  — 

g  1.  When  a  sentence  is  so  constructed  as  to  leave  it  uncertain 
whether  a  modifying  word  belongs  to  the  subject  or  the  predicate,  — 
as  in  the  passage,  "  The  man  of  talent  merely  is  strong  for  enterprise 
and  execution,"  —  a  comma  should  be  introduced  where  it  will  best 
develop  the  sense.  If  the  aim  of  the  writer  was  to  speak  of  a  man 
of  mere  talent,  the  comma  should  be  inserted  after  the  adverb 
"  merely; "  but,  if  of  a  man  of  talent  who  is  strong  only  for  enter 
prise  and  execution,  it  should  be  placed  before  the  adverb.  The 
sentence,  indeed,  might  have  been  written  in  accordance  with  syn 
tactic  principles,  which  would  have  precluded  the  necessity  of 
transgressing  one  of  the  chief  laws  in  punctuation ;  but  the  province 
of  the  punctuator  is  not  to  change  the  construction  of  sentences,  but 
to  bring  out  their  meaning  in  so  far  as  his  art  will  permit  him. 

g  2.  When  the  subject  consists  of  two  or  more  nouns  not  united 
by  a  conjunction,  a  comma  is  required  before  the  predicate;  as, 
"  Immensity,  sublimity,  are  expressed  by  a  prolongation  of  the  voice." 
—  "  Riches,  pleasure,  health,  become  evils  to  those  who  do  not  know 
how  to  use  them."  If,  however,  the  nouns  are  joined  by  a  conjunc 
tion,  the  comma  between  the  subject  and  the  predicate  is  omitted; 
as,  "  Sculpture,  painting,  and  poetry  will  always  have  admirers."  — 
See  pp.  33,  b ;  37,  d. 

g  3.  When  the  nominative  is  followed  by  two  or  more  words 
which  belong  to  it,  and  between  which  a  comma  must  be  inserted,  a 
comma  is  required  also  before  the  verb ;  as,  "  A  new  feeling  of  what 
is  due  to  the  ignorant,  the  poor,  and  the  depraved,  has  sprung  np  in 
society."  — "  Worlds  above,  around,  and  beneath,  arch  thee  about 
as  a  centre." 

g  4.  When  between  the  extremities,  either  of  a  nominative  clause 
or  of  its  predicate,  occurs  a  word  or  an  expression  requiring  to  be 
marked  off  by  commas,  a  comma  should  also  be  introduced  imme 
diately  before  the  predicate ;  as,  "  The  success  with  which  Rousseau 
passed,  coarse  and  selfish  as  he  was,  for  a  man  of  deep  and  tender 
feeling,  appears  to  have  been  the  signal  for  a  procession  of  writers  to 
withdraw  the  public  attention  from  their  own  transgressions."  — 


SUBJECT    AND    PREDICATE.  53 

"  The  evil  which  is  intermixed  in  human  society,  serves,  without  ques 
tion,  to  exercise  the  noblest  virtues  of  the  human  soul."  If,  however, 
the  subject  is  not  a  clause,  but  a  phrase,  it  should  not  be  separated 
by  a  comma  from  the  predicate,  though  the  latter  contains  a  word 
or  an  expression  enclosed  by  commas;  as,  "  A  sincere  and  honest 
man  may,  in  ti-uili,  do  such  work  as  shall  make  him  a  benefactor  to 
his  neighborhood." 

g  5.  When  the  subject  consists  of  a  nominative  clause,  ending 
with  a  noun  or  pronoun,  which  is  apt  to  be  read  so  closely  with  the 
predicate  as  to  confound  the  sense,  a  comma  should  precede  the 
verb;  as,  "  Who  does  nothing,  knows  nothing."  —  "  That  a  peculiar 
state  of  the  mere  particles  of  the  brain  should  be  followed  by  a  change 
of  the  state  of  the  sentient  mind,  is  truly  wonderful."  — "He  that 
sees  a  building  as  a  common  spectator,  contents  himself  with  speak 
ing  of  it  in  the  most  general  terms;"  a  sentence  which,  if  left  un 
pointed,  might,  unless  more  than  ordinary  attention  was  given,  be 
blunderingly  read,  "  He  that  sees  a  building,  as  a  common  spectator 
contents  himself  with  speaking  of  it,"  &c. 

g  6.  When  a  nominative  clause  contains  two  verbs,  with  one  of 
which  it  ends,  a  comma  is  required  before  the  predicate;  as,  "He 
that  places  himself  neither  higher  nor  lower  than  he  ought  to  do, 
exercises  the  truest  humility." 

g  7.  When  the  subject  ends  and  the  predicate  begins  with  the 
same  verb,  or  with  two  verbs  of  a  like  form,  a  comma  should  be 
placed  between  them ;  as,  "  Whatever  is,  is  right."  —  "  The  defendant 
served,  moved  to  set  aside  the  summons." 

g  8.  When  a  subject  is  repeated  in  a  different  form  before  its 
verb,  as  sometimes  ungrammatically  occurs,  a  comma  may  be  used, 
in  solemn  or  forcible  language,  between  the  two  forms ;  as,  "  The 
works  that  I  do  in  my  Father's  name,  they  bear  witness  of  me." 
But,  when  these  modes  of  expression  are  used  in  familiar  kinds  of 
writing,  it  is  better  to  omit  the  comma ;  as,  "  My  flocks  they  do  wan 
der."  In  another  part  of  the  work,  it  will  be  seen  that  a  dash  ( — ) 
is  employed  in  sentences  of  this  construction,  when  they  are  highly 
rhetorical. 

7i.  By  a  colloquial  idiom,  the  subject  is  sometimes  found  both  at 
the  beginning  and  the  end  of  a  proposition.  In  such  cases,  a  comma 
is  inserted  before  the  repeated  subject;  as,  "  He  was  a  distinguished 
philosopher,  Socrates." 

i.  The  above  exceptions  may  appear,  from  their  number,  to  over- 
thrc"w  the  rule ;  but  some  of  them,  it  will  be  seen,  are  in  opposition 


54  THE    COMMA. 

to  it,  only  because  the  sentences  themselves  are  contrary  to  the  laws 
of  good  or  elegant  composition.  As  for  the  others,  it  may  be  re 
marked,  that,  if  a  competent  person  take  up  any  well-written  essay 
or  discourse  in  the  English  language,  he  will  perceive  that  the  prin 
ciple  contained  in  the  rule  is  applicable  to  so  overwhelming  a  number 
of  sentences,  as  to  render  the  exceptions,  were  there  ten  times  more 
than  we  have  pointed  out,  quite  insignificant. 

j.  A  comma  should  not  be  inserted  after  any  of  the  forms  of  the 
verb  to  be,  when  used  as  a  copula,  or  connecting  link,  between 
the  subject  and  the  predicate  ;  or  before  a  verb  in  the  infinitive 
mood,  when  preceded  by  another  verb;  as,  "  The  sole  object  of  im 
portance  is  the  moral  development  of  society."  —  "  It  ill  becomes  wise 
and  good  men  to  oppose  and  degrade  one  another."  Some  writers 
would  insert  a  comma;  but  the  punctuating  of  such  sentences  as 
these,  where  the  parts  are  so  closely  related,  is  unnecessarily  stiff, 
though  between  them  a  correct  delivery  requires  a  pause 


ORAL   EXERCISES. 

Explain  how  it  is,  that,  according  to  the  sixth  Rule  (p.  60),  commas  are  wuie- 
cesnary  in  the  following  propositions :  — 

Nature  has  given  all  men  some  conceptions  of  immortality. 
The  region  beyond  the  grave  is  not  a  solitary  land. 
Simplicity  of  life  and  manners  produces  tranquillity  of  mind. 
The  Almighty  sustains  and  conducts  the  universe, 
Human  affairs  are  in  continual  motion  and  fluctuation. 
To  calculate  shrewdly  is  different  from  meditating  wisely. 
An  Epicurean  world  makes  an  Epicurean  God. 
The  earth- clod  of  the  globe  has  been  divinely  breathed  upon. 
Aptitude  for  business  is  not  power  of  reason. 
.  The  best  monuments  of  the  virtuous  are  their  actions. 
Misery  is  the  necessary  result  of  a  deviation  from  rectitude. 
Sensitiveness  to  the  approbation  of  virtuous  men  is  laudable. 
The  streams  of  small  pleasures  fill  the  lake  of  happiness. 
Intemperance  is  the  grossest  abuse  of  the  gifts  of  Providence. 
A  desire  of  knowledge  is  natural  to  the  mind  of  man. 
"  Know  thyself"  is  a  useful  and  comprehensive  precept. 
His  being  a  scholar  prevented  any  gross  mistake  in  his  style. 
To  be  proud  and  inaccessible  is  to  be  timid  and  weak. 
He  who  masters  his  passions  conquers  his  greatest  enemy. 
Our  intellectual  powers  may  be  indefinitely  enlarged. 


SUBJECT    AND    PREDICATE.  55 

Mention  -why,  in  accordance  with  the  Remarks  on  pages  50-54,  the  sentences  that 

follow  are  pointed  or  unpointed  with  commas :  — 
Light,  whether  it  be  material  or  spiritual,  is  the  best  reformer. 
He  who  teaches,  often  learns  himself. 
Those  who  were  not  so,  became  cringing  and  hypocritical 
He  who  made  it,  now  preserves  and  governs  it. 
A  youth,  a  boy,  a  child,  might  understand  the  question. 
Job,  Hesiod,  and  Homer  mention  several  of  the  constellations. 
The  idea  of  what  ought  to  be,  rises  up  from  the  bosom  of  what  ia 
Whoever  firmly  wills,  will  be  a  good  man. 
Thy  rod  and  thy  staff,  they  comfort  me. 
The  careless  poet  of  Avon,  was  he  troubled  for  his  fame '/ 
And  Harry's  flesh  it  fell  away.  —  But  John  he  cried  in  vain. 
He  seemed  wanting  in  every  good  affection,  Nero. 
He  groweth  rich,  that  fawning  and  supple  parasite. 
It  needs  a  divine  man  to  exhibit  any  thing  divine. 
It  is  our  duty  to  appropriate  our  time  to  valuable  purposes. 


EXERCISE   TO    BE   WRITTEN. 
Insert  commas  only  where  required  by  the  preceding  Remarks:  — 

Reason  and  true  philosophy  never  attempt,  in  their  conclusions,  to 
separate  God  from  his  works.    (Rule,  and  last  of  Remark  g  4.) 

Times  of  general  calamity  and  confusion  have  ever  been  productive 
of  the  greatest  minds.* 

It  is  not  in  our  power  to  change  the  established  order  of  things. 
(Remark  j,  and  Rule.) 

Patience  with  the  erring  and  offending  is  one  of  the  holiest  of  all 
forms  of  character. 

He  who  being  master  of  the  fittest  moment  to  crush  his  enemy 
magnanimously  neglects  it  is  born  to  be  a  conqueror.    (Rem.  c,  g  4. ) 

One  of  the  arts  that  tend  most  to  the  improvement  of  human 
intellect  is  the  art  of  language. 

Philosophy,  religion  tend  to  promote  just  and  honorable  views  of 
the  Creator  of  the  universe.    (First  of  Remark  g  2.) 

The  most  sublime  speculation  of  the  contemplative  philosopher 
can  scarcely  compensate  for  the  neglect  of  the  smallest  active  duty. 

The  highest  art  of  the  mind  of  man  is  to  possess  itself  with  tran 
quillity  hi  the  hour  of  danger.    (Rule,  and  Remark  j.) 

•  The  sentences,  in  this  exercise,  to  which  no  references  are  attached,  may  be 
compared  with  the  Rule  and  with  Remarks  a— «,  pp.  50, 5L 


56  THE    COMMA. 

To  mourn  deeply  for  the  death  of  another  loosens  from  myself  the 
petty  desire  for  life.  (Remark  g  5.) 

The  vigorous  character  of  composition  depends  on  the  decision 
with  which  the  mind  grasps  a  truth. 

That  our  age  holds  an  amount  of  refinement  and  civilization  that 
preceding  ages  did  not  have  seems  evident.  (Remark  g  6.) 

An  excessive  or  indiscriminate  reading  of  novels  and  romances  is 
exceedingly  injurious  to  the  young. 

To  live  soberly,  righteously,  and  piously  comprehends  the  whole 
of  our  duty.  (Remark  g  1  or  3.) 

Sincere  respect  for  the  men  of  early  times  may  be  joined  with  a 
clear  perception  of  their  weaknesses  and  errors. 

He  who  loves  the  bristle  of  bayonets  only  sees  in  their  glitter  what 
beforehand  he  felt  in  his  heart.  (Remark  g  1.) 

To  walk  beneath  the  porch  is  still  infinitely  less  than  to  kneel 
before  the  cross. 

The  swan  whose  neck  is  out  of  all  proportion  to  his  body  is  the 
most  beautiful  of  all  birds.  (Remark  c.) 

The  great  sources  of  intellectual  power  and  progress  to  a  people 
are  its  strong  and  original  thinkers. 

He  who  troubles  himself  more  than  he  needs  grieves  also  more 
than  is  necessary.  (Remark  g  6  or  7.) 

The  grammatical  points  are  not  sufficient  to  indicate  either  the 
number  or  the  duration  of  the  pauses. 

Intelligence,  beauty,  and  modesty  are  the  principal  charms  of 
woman.  (Remark  g  2,  last  sentence.) 

The  impartial  distribution  of  posthumous  fame  or  censure  must 
have  some  effect  on  the  most  callous  and  unprincipled. 

He  that  shall  endure  unto  the  end  the  same  shall  be  saved.  (First 
of  Remark  g  8.) 

He  who  follows  the  pleasures  of  the  world  is  in  constant  search 
of  care  and  remorse. 

Joy,  grief,  love,  admiration,  devotion  are  all  of  them  passions 
which  are  naturally  musical.  (Remark  g  2,  first  portion.) 

The  highest  literature  and  art  of  every  age  embody  its  highest 
spiritual  ideal  of  excellence. 

Silent  and  severe  they  sit  those  men  of  the  old  fearless  time. 
(Remark  h.) 

He  who  has  never  studied  the  consequences  of  human  actions  per 
ceives  m  the  great  concourse  of  mankind,  only  a  multitude  of  beings 
consulting  each  his  own  peculiar  interest.  (Remark  g  4  or  6.) 


RELATIVE    CLAUSES.  57 

RULE     VH. 
Relative  Pronouns  and  Relative  Clauses. 

§  I.  A  comma  is  put  before  a  relative  clause,  when 
it  is  explanatory  of  the  antecedent,  or  presents  an 
additional  thought. 

§  II.  But  the  point  is  omitted  before  a  relative 
which  restricts  the  general  notion  of  the  antecedent  to 
a  particular  sense. 

EXAMPLES. 
|L 

1.  Behold  the  emblem  of  thy  state  in  flowers,  which  bloom  and  die. 

2.  Study  nature,  whose  laws  and  phenomena  are  all  deeply  interesting. 

3.  Channing  has  set  forth  great  and  universal  truths,  that  cannot  perish. 

4.  These  were  small  states,  in  which  every  man  felt  himself  to  be  important 

5.  The  father  of  history  was  Herodotus,  from  whom  we  have  an  account  of 

the  Persian  war. 

ill. 

1.  Every  teacher  must  love  a  boy  who  is  attentive  and  docile. 

2.  Happy  are  the  people  whose  history  is  the  most  wearisome  to  read. 

3.  Urbanity  often  lends  a  grace  to  actions  that  are  of  themselves  ungracious. 

4.  Some  men  engage  in  labors  in  which  they  afterwards  take  no  delight. 

6.  It  is  barbarous  to  injure  those  from  whom  we  have  received  a  kindness. 

REMARKS. 

a.  By  comparing  any  of  the  examples  in  the  first  class  witn  its 
corresponding  one  or  any  other  in  the  second,  it  will  at  once  be 
seen  that  they  are  essentially  different  as  to  the  senses  intended  to 
be  conveyed.    In  the  former  class,  the  clause  at  the  beginning  of  the 
sentence,  which  contains  the  antecedent,  is  of  a  general  character: 
that  at  the  end  —  the  relative  clause  —  presents  something  addi 
tional,  or  explanatory  of  what  has  been  said.    In  the  latter  class,  the 
antecedent  clause  lays  down  a  proposition  which  is  restrained  or 
limited  in  its  sense  by  the  relative. 

b.  If  a  relative  clause  which  is  explanatory  of  the  antecedent  be 
placed  between  the  extremities  of  a  sentence,  a  comma  is  required 
both  after  the  antecedent  word  or  phrase,  and  before  that  verb  of 
which  it  is  the  nominative ;  as,  "  Slaves  and  savagas,  who  receive  no 
education,  are  proverbially  indolent."  —  See  p.  64. 


58  THE    COMMA. 

c.  But,  if  the  nominative  is  accompanied  by  a  limitm*  relative 
clause,  —  or,  to  speak  more  accurately,  it'  the  subject  is  composed  of 
an  antecedent  and  a  relative  clause, — both  points  should  be  omitted; 
as,  "  The  man  who  is  faithfully  attached  to  religion  may  be  relied  on 
with  confidence."     For,  were  a  comma  placed  after  either  "  man  " 
or  "  religion,"  or  after  words  corresponding  to  these  in  similar  sen 
tences,  a  separation  would  be  made  between  parts,  which,  from  their 
restrictive  character,  are  obviously  inseparable.  —  See  p.  51,  d,  e. 

d.  When,  however,  the  antecedent  consists  of  nouns  or  phrases 
between  which  commas  are  required,  a  comma  should  also  be  in 
serted  before  the  relative  clause,  though  restrictive ;  as,  "  There  are 
many  dreams,  fictions,  or  theories,  which  men  substitute  for  truth." 
Were  the  comma  after  "  theories  "  omitted,  the  connection  between 
"  which  "  and  the  preceding  noun  would  seem  to  be  closer  than  that 
existing  between  the  relative  pronoun  and  the  other  particulars,  to 
which  it  has  an  equal  relation;   and  such  an  omission  would,  in 
many  instances,  tend  to  hinder  a  perception  of  the  sense. 

e.  A  comma  may  also  be  put  before  the  relative  pronoun,  even 
when  restrictive,  if  it  is  immediately  followed  by  a  word  or  an  ex 
pression  enclosed  by  commas,  and  especially  if  the  antecedent  is 
qualified  by  an  adjective;  as,  "  It  was  only  a  few  discerning  friends, 
who,  in  the  native  vigor  of  his  powers,   perceived  the  dawn  of 
Robertson's  future  eminence."     The  reasons  offered  for  this  mode 
of  punctuating  are,  that  the  adjective  has  some  effect  to  loosen  the 
restraining  power  of  the  relative  over  the   antecedent;   and  that 
the  omission  of  the  comma  between  the  two  portions  of  such  a 
sentence  —  between  "friends"  and  "who"  in  the  present  exam 
ple  —  would  draw  the  pronoun  more  closely  to  the  clause  which 
precedes  it,  than  to  that  of  which  it  forms  a  part. 

/.  By  some  writers  and  printers,  a  comma  is  always  put  before 
the  relative,  though  used  restrictively,  if  separated  by  several  words 
from  its  grammatical  antecedent;  as,  "It  is  power  of  thought  and 
utterance,  which  immortalizes  the  products  of  genius."  — "  ffe 
preaches  sublimely,  who  lives  a  righteous  and  pious  life."  But 
we  have  little  hesitation  in  saying,  that  the  punctuation  is  in  both 
examples  erroneous.  In  the  former,  the  antecedent  "  power '  .3 
accompanied  with  the  inseparable  modifying  phrase,  "  of  thought 
and  utterance; "  the  sense  being,  not  that  power,  but  that  the  power 
of  thought  and  utterance,  immortalizes  the  products  of  genius.  In 
the  latter  example,  it  will  be  seen  that  the  proper  construction  is, 
"  ffe  who  lives  a  righteous  and  pious  life  preaches  sublimely;"  and 


RELATIVE    CLAUSES.  59 

that,  in  this  collocation  of  the  words,  the  comma  would  be  correctly 
left  out  between  the  antecedent  and  the  relative.  If.  therefore,  a 
separation  be  made  in  the  construction  between  words  which  are 
closely  united  in  sense,  as  in  the  instances  given,  that  separation, 
instead  of  being  increased  by  the  introduction  of  a  point,  should  be 
made  as  little  as  possible  by  omitting  it. 

g.  To  the  preceding  remark  the  only  exception  is  when  the 
relative  might  improperly  te  read  so  as  to  refer  to  a  proximate 
term ;  as,  "  Creeds  too  often  carry,  in  their  ruins,  the  seeds  of  that 
faith  in  the  divine  and  eternal,  without  which  our  nobler  nature 
starves  and  perishes." 

h.  To  prevent  ambiguity,  a  comma  is  sometimes  put  before  tne 
words,  of  which,  of  whom,  even  when  used  restrictively,  to  dis 
tinguish  the  preposition  from  that  which  connects  two  nouns,  one 
of  which  governs  the  other ;  as,  "  Compassion  is  an  emotion,  of 
which  you  should  never  be  ashamed."  — "  No  thought  can  be  just, 
of  which  good  sense  is  not  the  groundwork." — "No  thought,  of 
which  good  sense  is  not  the  groundwork,  can  be  just."  The  insertion 
of  the  point  will  distinguish  phrases  of  this  kind  from  such  as  occur 
in  the  following  sentences:  "  Compassion  is  an  emotion  of  grief  for 
the  sufferings  of  others."  —  "  The  actions  of  princes  are  like  those 
great  rivers,  the  courses  of  which  every  one  beholds,  but  whose 
springs  have  been  seen  by  few."  It  may  be  remarked  too,  that, 
when  the  relative  pronoun  does  not  immediately  follow  the  clause 
containing  the  antecedent,  the  comma  omitted  before  the  relative 
is  inserted  between  the  two  portions  of  the  sentence,  as  after  the 
word  "  rivers  "  in  the  last  example. 

».  The  principles  stated  in  both  divisions  of  the  rule  are  appli 
cable  to  sentences  in  which  an  adverb  is  put  for  a  relative  pronoun; 
as,  "The  philosophers  took  refuge  in  Persia,  where  [in  which 
country]  they  soon  became  dispersed."  — "  Mark  the  majestic 
simplicity  of  those  laws  whereby  [by  which]  the  operations  of  the 
universe  are  conducted." 

j.  Sentences  in  which  the  relative  pronoun  may  be  supplied  are 
subject  to  the  same  rules  as  those  in  which  it  is  expressed;  as, 
"  Genius  is  not  a  single  faculty  of  the  mind,  distinct  from  all  the 
rest."— "  Genius  is  not  a  faculty  of  the  mind  separate  from  all 
the  rest."  In  both  forms  of  the  example,  the  relative  pronoun 
with  the  verb  —  which  is  —  is  understood  after  the  word  "mind;" 
but  in  the  former  the  comma  is  used,  because  the  first  clause 
makes  perfect  sense  of  itself,  and  the  second  is  explanatory.  In 


60  THE    COMMA. 

the  latter  form,  the  comma  is  omitted,  for  the  reason  that  both 
clauses  are  so  blended  as  to  be  inseparable  in  sense;  the  first  being 
restrained  or  limited  hi  its  meaning  by  the  second.  The  following 
sentence  contains  past  participles,  used  hi  both  an  explanatory  and 
a  restrictive  sense,  and  punctuated  accordingly :  "  Poets  are  by  no 
means  wingless  angels,  fed  with  ambrosia  plucked  from  Olympus, 
or  manna  rained  down  from  heaven." 

Tc.  When  a  present  participle  is  put  instead  of  a  relative  and  a 
verb,  the  insertion  or  omission  of  the  comma  will  also  depend  on 
the  principle  just  stated ;  as,  "  The  path  of  mere  power  is  that 
of  the  cannon-ball,  destroying  |  which  destroys]  every  thing  in  its 
course."  —  "There  are  moral  principles  slumbering  hi  the  souls  of 
the  most  depraved." 

I  Sometimes,  however,  a  restrictive  clause  of  the  kind  mentioned 
hi  the  two  foregoing  remarks  should  be  preceded  by  a  comma,  when, 
its  antecedent  being  removed  at  some  distance  from  the  relative  pro 
noun,  the  latter  is  in  danger  of  being  connected  too  closely  with  a 
nearer  noun;  as,  "  Commercial  nations  have  an  apathy  to  amuse 
ment,  distinct  from  mere  gravity  of  disposition."  A  comma  may  also 
be  inserted  before  and  after  a  clause  beginning  with  an  adjective  or  a 
past  participle,  if  introduced  between  the  extremities  of  a  sentence, 
in  order  to  show  the  alliance  of  the  nominative  with  its  verb,  or  of 
one  noun  with  another ;  as,  "  A  man,  distinguished  for  his  virtues  and 
attainments,  is  commonly  respected." 

m.  When  the  ellipsis  may  be  supplied  with  the  adverb  when, 
involving  in  its  signification  a  nominative  or  a  relative  and  a  verb, 
a  comma  should  be  inserted  before  two  adjectives  or  participles, 
restrictive  or  unrestrictive,  or  an  adjective  or  participle  with  words 
depending  on  it;  as,  "Man,  ignorant  and  uncivilized^  is  a  ferocious 
savage."  —  "  The  death  of  Socrates,  philosophizing  with  his  friends,  is 
the  most  pleasant  that  could  be  desired." 

n.  When  only  the  relative  pronoun  is  understood,  the  antecedent 
should  be  left  unpointed ;  as,  "  The  laws  we  reverence  are  our  brave 
fathers'  legacy; "  that  is,  the  laws  which  we  reverence. 

o.  Such  as,  when  equivalent  to  a  demonstrative  and  a  relative 
pronoun,  is  subject  to  the  second  division  of  the  rule;  as,  "There 
is  no  such  partition  in  the  spiritual  world  as  you  see  in  the  mate 
rial; "  that  is,  there  is  not  that  partition  which  you  see. 

p.  A  semicolon  is  sometimes  used  before  a  relative  pronoun, 
particularly  when  it  refers  to  an  antecedent  in  a  remote  clause. 
But  this  mode  of  punctuating  will  be  best  exhibited  hereafter. 


RELATIVE    CLAUSES.  61 


ORAL   EXERCISES. 

State  the  principles  in  the  seventh  Rule  (p.  57),  and  show  how  they  may  If. 
applied  to  the  sentences  that  follow  :  — 

Avoid  rudeness  of  manners,  which  must  hurt  the  feelings  of  others. 
Every  good  man  must  love  the  country  in  which  he  was  born. 
The  child  was  much  attached  to  Jane,  who  loved  him  dearly. 
Those  who  are  wealthy  have  great  influence  over  others. 
Virtue  is  that  to  which  the  man  himself  contributes. 
What  is  more  wonderful  than  the  human  eye,  that  sees  all  around  ? 
The  subject  should  be  held  up  in  e'very  light  of  which  it  is  capable. 
Death  is  the  season  which  brings  our  affections  to  the  test. 
Turn  not  back  from  the  good  path  on  which  you  have  entered. 
Cherish  true  patriotism,  which  has  its  root  in  benevolence. 
Ambition  is  the  germ  from  which  all  growth  of  nobleness  proceeds. 
Christianity  is  a  religion  whose  origin  is  unquestionably  divine. 
He  who  reads  in  a  proper  spirit  can  scarcely  read  too  much. 
War  is  a  tremendous  evil,  to  which  many  have  unhappily  resorted. 


Mention  the  reasons,  given  in  the  Remarks  (pp.  57-60),  for  inserting  or  omitting- 
commas  in  such  sentences  as  the  following  t  — 

Satan,  whom  now  transcendent  glory  raised  above  his  fellows,  spake. 

The  eye,  that  sees  all  things,  sees  not  itself. 

Man,  who  is  born  of  a  woman,  is  of  few  days. 

The  credulity  which  has  faith  in  goodness  is  a  sign  of  goodness. 

He  that  is  slow  to  anger  is  better  and  nobler  than  the  mighty. 

Where  is  the  philosopher,  the  man,  who  would  thus  live  and  die? 

He  questioned  me  of  the  battles,  sieges,  fortunes,  that  I  have  passed. 

The  large  book,  which  I  bought  years  ago,  has  not  yet  been  read. 

No  faculty  lives  within  us  which  the  soul  can  spare. 

Nothing  is  hi  vain  that  rouses  the  mind  to  thought  and  reflection. 

There  is  a  craving  for  enjoyment,  which  cannot  be  destroyed  in  man 

William  left  the  city  of  New  York,  where  he  was  doing  well. 

Here  comes  his  body,  mourned  by  Mark  Antony. 

Adopt  a  plan  of  life  founded  on  religion  and  virtue. 

A  great  mind  gazeth  on  the  sun,  glorying  in  its  brightness. 

Genius  addresses  the  consciousness  existing  hi  all  men. 

Physical  science,  separate  from  morals,  parts  with  its  chief  dignity 

Socrates  was  one  of  the  greatest  sages  the  world  ever  saw. 

Such  as  are  careless  of  themselves  are  seldom  mindful  of  others. 


62  THE    COMMA. 


EXERCISE   TO   BK    WRITTEN. 

Punctuate,  or  leave  unpointed^  the  following  sentences,  as  required  by  Uie  pre 
ceding  Rule  and  Remarks  (pp.  67-60):  — 

We  should  trace  in  all  events  the  wisdom  and  benevolence  of  God 
from  whom  descendeth  every  good  and  perfect  gift.  (Rule,  §  I.) 

We  read,  with  a  reverential  love,  of  men  devoting  themselves  to 
the  interests  of  humanity.  (Last  of  Remark  k.) 

The  lever  which  moves  the  world  of  mind  is  emphatically  the 
printing-press.  (Rule,  §  n. ;  and  Remark  c.) 

Youth  is  introductory  to  manhood  to  which  it  is  a  state  of 
preparation.  (Rule,  §  I.) 

To  the  Father  of  lights  in  whom  there  is  no  darkness  are  we  in 
debted  for  all  the  blessings  we  enjoy.  (Rule,  §  i.;  and  Rem.  6,  n.) 

There  was  nothing  in  the  mind  of  Jesus  of  which  you  have  not 
the  principle  and  the  capacity  in  yourself.  (Remark  h.) 

Some  counti'ies  are  infested  with  bands  of  robbers  who  attack 
travellers  in  the  open  day.  (Rule,  §  i.) 

Set  at  nought  the  grosser  pleasures  of  sense  whereof  others  are 
slaves.  (Remark  t,  compared  with  h.) 

There  is  a  philosophic  spirit  which  is  far  more  valuable  than  any 
limited  acquirements  of  philosophy.  (Rule,  §  n.) 

The  entrance  on  a  new  course  awakens  new  energies  and  powers 
which  rapidly  unfold  into  life  and  vigor.  (Rule,  §  I.) 

Science  and  Poetry  alike  recognizing  the  order  and  the  beauty  of 
the  universe  are  alike  handmaids  of  Devotion.  (Remark  m.) 

The  brightest  part  of  thy  life  is  nothing  but  a  flower  which 
withers  almost  as  soon  as  it  has  blown.  (Rule,  §  i.) 

Columbus  was  sent  to  the  university  of  Padua  where  he  acquired 
such  knowledge  as  was  then  taught.  (Remarks  t,  o.) 

Does  the  sentiment  of  patriotism  reign  in  the  common  soldier  who 
hires  himself  to  be  shot  at  for  a  few  cents  a  day?  (Rule,  §  i.) 

A  government  directing  itself  resolutely  and  steadily  to  the  gene 
ral  good  becomes  a  minister  of  virtue.  (Remark  ?».) 

May  we  be  living  flowers  in  those  everlasting  gardens  of  the  Lord 
where  angels  and  seraphs  are  the  guardians !  (Remarks  t  and  g.) 

What  are  the  moral  influences  of  poverty  its  influences  on  charac 
ter  which  deserve  our  chief  attention?  (Remark  d.) 

The  Greeks  may  well  boast  of  having  produced  a  Euclid  whose 
works  are  esteemed  even  by  the  profoundest  mathematicians  in 
modern  times.  (Rule,  §  i.> 


RELATIVE    CLAUSES.  63 

Go  not  from  the  world  with  the  joyless  consciousness  of  those  to 
whom  the  fountains  of  its  purest  bliss  have  been  sealed.  (Rule,  $  H.) 

You  may  treat  life  as  a  problem  which  has  to  be  wrought  out  to 
a  successful  result.  (Rule,  §  i.) 

There  is  no  charm  in  the  female  sex  which  can  supply  the  place 
of  virtue.  (Rule,  §  n. ;  and  Remark  /.) 

Aid  in  reforming  those  social  abuses  the  existence  of  which  casts 
such  a  gloom  and  blight  on  the  happiness  of  all.  (Last  of  Rem.  h. ) 

The  benefit  arising  to  us  from  an  enlarged  understanding  cannot 
well  be  overrated.  (Last  of  Remark  k.) 

The  moral  character  is  modified  in  some  degree  by  the  tastes  and 
habits  of  feeling  imbibed  from  the  situation  in  which  men  are 
placed.  ( Remark  j;  and  Rule,  §  n.) 

A  good  reader  will  often  pause  where  no  grammarian  would  insert 
a  point;  and,  on  the  other  hand,  he  will  sometimes  neglect  the 
commas  he  finds  inserted  by  the  writer.  (Remarks  t  and  n.) 

The  memory  of  the  eyes  that  hung  over  a  man  in  infancy  and 
childhood  will  haunt  him  through  all  his  after-life.  (Rule,  §  n. ;  and 
Remark  c.) 

Macpherson  who  has  given  us  some  highly  original  images  spoils 
half  his  work  by  forgetting  that  his  bard  was  a  Gaul.  (Rule,  $  I.; 
and  Remark  b.) 

The  superior  wisdom  of  the  present  day  consists  in  the  better 
knowledge  derived  from  experience  of  the  limits  of  our  faculties. 
(Remark  I,  last  portion.) 

Antiquity  would  have  raised  altars  to  that  vast  and  mighty  genius 
who,  for  the'advantage  of  human  kind,  could  tame  the  rage  of  thunder 
and  of  despotism.  (Remark  e.) 

He  only  is  filled  with  the  true  spirit  of  devotion  who  recognizes, 
in  the  outward  forms  of  beauty,  the  mind  of  Him  who  has  chosen 
this  mode  of  intercourse  with  his  trustful  and 'adoring  offspring. 
(Remark/;  and  Rule,  §  n.) 

A  peace  worth  all  the  specious  goods  which  this  world  has  at  its 
disposal  will  ever  be  found  in  a  simple  and  contented  mind,  in  an 
affectionate  heart,  and  in  a  pure  and  honorable  life.  (Last  of  Re 
mark  1;  and  Rule,  §  n.) 

That  the  memories  of  those  most  justly  venerable  and  dear  should 
throng  around  us  with  a  new  vitality,  as  life's  evening  draws  on,  is 
scarcer  reconcilable  with  the  supposition,  that  the  spirit  of  which 
such  remembrances  are  the  most  precious  possession  is  itself  on  the 
point  of  expiring  for  ever.  (Rem..;,  lines  8-11 ;  and  h,  first  portion.) 


64  THE    COMMA. 

RULE    VIII. 

Parenthetical  Phrases  and  Clauses. 

Expressions  of  a  parenthetical  or  intermediate  na 
ture  are  separated  from  the  context  by  commas. 

EXAMPLES. 

1.  The  sun,  with  all  its  attendant  planets,  is  but  a  very  little  part  of  the  grand 

machine  of  the  universe. 

2.  Books,  regarded  merely  as  a  gratification,  are  worth  more  than  all  the 

luxuries  on  earth. 

8.  The  man  of  refinement  and  sensibility  finds  himself,  as  it  were,  in  accord 
ance  with  universal  nature. 

4.  A  man  of  more  than  ordinary  intellectual  vigor  may,  for  want  of  the  faculty 
of  expression,  be  a  cipher  in  society. 

REMARKS. 

a.  In  punctuation  there  is  perhaps  no  rule  so  well  adapted  as  this 
for  showing  the  construction  and  sense  of  passages,  and  yet  none 
seems  to  be  less  understood  or  observed  by  writers  and  printers. 
To  prevent,  therefore,  any  mistake,  on  the  part  of  the  pupil,  as  to 
the  meaning  of  a  parenthetical  phrase  or  clause,  and  to  enable  him 
to  insert  the  right  points  by  distinguishing  it  with  some  degree  of 
accuracy  from  the  parenthesis,  from  which  it  derives  its  name,  we 
may  have  to  anticipate  a  little  what  will  be  laid  down  and  illus 
trated  in  the  next  chapter. 

b.  A  parenthesis  and  a  parenthetical  expression  are  alike  in  this 
respect,  that  each  is  a  sentence,  or  a  part  of  a  sentence,  enclosed 
within  another.     But  the  difference  between  these  two  kinds  of  inter 
mediate  sentences  or  phrases  is,  that  parentheses  are  so  used  as  to 
be  susceptible  of  omission,  without  affecting  either  the  sense  or  the 
construction  of  the  main  passage;   while  parenthetical  expressions 
cannot  be  omitted,  without  diminishing  the  force  or  changing  the 
import  of  that  by  which  they  are  preceded  and  followed.      The 
following  examples  will  illustrate  the  difference  spoken  of,  and  at 
the  same  time  exhibit  the  proper  modes  of  punctuation:  — 

1.  It  is  probable  that  every  planet  (as  the  Creator  has  made  nothing  in  vain) 

is  inhabited. 

2.  The  benevolent  and  pious  man,  even  when  persecuted,  is,  on  the  whole,  »i 

happy  man. 


PARENTHETICAL    EXPRESSIONS.  65 

The  first  of  these  sentences  exemplifies  the  parenthesis,  with  its 
appropriate  marks;  the  second,  such  expressions  as  are  merely 
parenthetical  or  intermediate.  In  the  former  sentence,  the  main 
sentiment  would  be  perfect,  both  as  to  its  sense  and  the  construction 
of  the  language,  if  the  intermediate  clause  were  thrown  out  from 
its  present  place ;  in  the  latter,  the  omission  of  the  phrases  between 
the  commas  —  "  even  when  persecuted,"  and  "  on  the  whole  "  — 
would  sensibly  affect  the  meaning  intended  to  be  conveyed.  For 
the  sake  of  distinction  and  convenience,  this  easy  kind  of  paren 
thesis  loses  the  more  generic  name,  and  is  commonly  termed  a 
parenthetical  expression. 

c.  Many  short  expressions  which  were  formerly  enclosed  within 
marks  of  parenthesis,  and  which,  on  account  of  their  construction 
differing  from  that  of  the  other  portions  of  the  sentence,  may  pro 
perly  be  called  parentheses,  are  now  usually  pointed  off  by  commas ; 
as,  "  Study,  /  beseech  you,  to  store  your  minds  with  the  exquisite 
learning  of  former  ages."  — "  '  Thirst  for  glory,'  says  a  great  writer, 
*  is  often  founded  on  ambition  and  vanity.' "     As  these  short  ex 
pressions  interfere  but  slightly  with  the  unity  of  thought  conveyed 
in  the  context,  commas  are  preferable  to  the  parenthetical  marks. 

d.  Many  writers  are  accustomed  to  omit  the  comma,  in  all  cases, 
after  a  conjunction ;  but  it  is  evident,  that,  when  a  word  of  this  or 
any  other  part  of  speech  is  divided  by  a  phrase  or  clause  from  the 
portion  of  the  sentence  to  which  it  belongs,  such  intervening  ex 
pression  should  have  a  comma  before  as  well  as  after  it,  as  in  the 
following  example :  "  Agamemnon  still  lives  before  us  in  the  '  tale 
of  Troy  divine ; '  but,  were  not  his  name  embalmed  in  that  imperish 
able  song,  there  would  not  now  be  a  wreck  of  it." 

e.  Short  phrases  of  a  parenthetical  kind,  when  closely  united  in 
sense  to  the  context,  and  particularly  when  introduced  into  what  is 
itself  parenthetical,  should  be  left  unpointed ;  as,  "  Poesy  can  portray 
with  much  energy  the  excesses  of  the  passions."     This  is  further 
exemplified  in  the  intermediate  clause  of  the  remark  just  made,— 
"  when  closely  united  in  sense  to  the  context;"  in  which  the  Itali 
cized  words  partake  somewhat  of  the  nature  of  a  parenthetic  phrase, 
but  are  better  read  in  union  with  the  words  that  precede  and  follow 
them. 

/.  Conjunctions,  adverbs  or  adverbial  phrases,  words  or  expres 
sions  in  a  direct  address,  and  absolute  or  other  phrases,  are  some 
times  used  parenthetically ;  but,  occurring  as  they  do  in  a  variety  of 
ways,  their  punctuation  will  be  best  explained  under  different  rules. 
5 


66  THE    COMMA. 

ORAL   EXERCISES. 

Assign  the  reason,  as  given  in  the  eighth  Rule,  for  the  insertion  of  commas  in 

the  following-  sentences  t  — 

A  contract,  to  be  valid,  must  be  for  some  legal  object  or  purpose*. 

Every  passion,  however  base  or  unworthy,  is  eloquent. 

Some  men  are  refined,  like  gold,  in  the  furnace  of  affliction. 

It  is  mind,  after  all,  which  does  the  work  of  the  world. 

Nature,  through  all  her  works,  delights  in  variety. 

The  ship  leaps,  as  it  were,  from  billow  to  billow. 

A  spiritual  nature,  to  grow  in  power,  demands  spiritual  liberty. 

The  ocean,  in  its  mighty  heavings,  makes  you  serious. 

Dismiss,  as  soon  as  may  be,  all  angry  and  wrathful  thoughts. 

But,  if  education  cannot  do  every  thing,  it  can  do  much. 

Let  us  send  light  and  joy,  if  we  can,  to  every  one  around  us. 

Man,  in  his  highest  mood  of  thought,  aspires  to  God. 

There,  where  knowledge  ceases,  faith  should  strongest  prove. 

Take  your  lot,  as  it  is  assigned  you,  without  murmuring  or  complaint 

Christianity,  in  the  highest  sense,  is  the  religion  of  sorrow. 


Jffty,  according  to  the  Rule  or  the  Remarks  (pp.  64,  65),  are  the  parenthetical 
expressions  in  the  following  sentences  pointed  or  unpointed  1  — 

Thou  knowest,  come  what  may,  that  the  light  of  truth  cannot  be 
put  out. 

Of  nothing  may  we  be  more  sure  than  this,  that,  if  we  cannot 
sanctify  our  present  lot,  we  could  sanctify  no  other. 

The  travellers  set  out  early,  and,  before  the  close  of  the  day, 
arrived  at  the  destined  place. 

But,  in  the  formation  of  character,  we  know  that  man  is  to  lay  its 
foundations  for  himself. 

Yet,  after  leaving  school,  Cowper  threw  away  the  next  twenty  01 
thirty  years  of  his  life  almost  in  doing  nothing. 

We  can  sometimes  trace  extraordinary  skill  in  the  liberal  arts  to 
the  existence  of  a  quarry  of  fine  marble. 

Civilization,  which  on  the  whole  has  never  gone  backward,  is 
new-shaped  and  modified  by  each  particular  people. 

The  greatest  of  all  human  benefits,  that  at  least  without  which  no 
other  benefits  can  be  truly  enjoyed,  is  independence. 

Burke  and  Paine  were  incarnations  of  the  spirits  whose  conflict 
has  for  ages  divided  the  world. 


PARENTHETICAL    EXPRESSIONS.  67 


EXKltCISE   TO    BE   WRITTEN. 

Punctuate  the  parenthetical  expressions,  except  those  to  which  Remark  e,  p.  65, 
will  apply :  — 

A  single  hour  in  the  day  steadily  given  to  the  study  of  an  interest 
ing  subject  brings  unexpected  accumulations  of  knowledge.  (Rule.) 

Benevolance  is  on  whatever  side  we  may  contemplate  the  subject 
a  godlike  virtue.  (Rule.) 

True  it  is,  that  were  we  cast  from  birth  into  solitude  we  should 
grow  up  in  brutal  ignorance.  (Rule,  and  Remark  d.) 

Excellence  is  in  any  position  almost  the  infallible  result  of  the 
determination  to  excel.  (Rule.) 

"  The  virtuous  man  "  it  has  been  beautifully  said  "  proceeds  with 
out  constraint  in  the  path  of  his  duty."  (Remarks  c,  e.) 

In  Dante  for  the  first  time  in  an  uninspired  bard  the  dawn  of  a 
spiritual  day  breaks  upon  us.  (Rule.) 

A  people  should  honor  and  cultivate  as  unspeakably  useful  that 
literature  which  calls  forth  the  highest  faculties.  (Rule.) 

Simple  truths  when  simply  explained  are  more  easily  compre 
hended  I  believe  than  is  commonly  supposed.  (Rule,  and  Remark  c.) 

I  would  stamp  God's  name  and  not  Satan's  upon  every  innocent 
pleasure.  (Rule.) 

Fanaticism  in  its  ill  sense  is  that  which  makes  a  man  blind  to 
perceive  the  falseness  of  an  error.  (Rule.) 

Cursed  be  the  verse  how  well  soe'er  it  flow 

That  tends  to  make  one  worthy  man  my  foe.      (Rule.) 

I  maintain,  that  as  knowledge  extends  the  range  of  all  imagery 
is  enlarged;  and  what  is  far  more  important  that  the  conception 
kindles  by  the  contemplation  of  higher  objects.  (Remarks  c,  d.) 

The  love  of  the  beautiful  and  true  like  the  dewdrop  in  the  heart  of 
the  crystal  remains  for  ever  clear  and  liquid  in  the  inmost  shrine 
of  man's  being.  (Rule,  and  Remark  e.) 

Numerous  instances  there  have  been  as  every  reader  knows  of 
those  who  have  thrown  down  every  obstacle  in  the  way  of  their 
mental  elevation.  (Remark  c.) 

Without  fairness  of  mind  which  is  only  another  phrase  for  dis 
interested  love  of  truth  great  native  powers  of  understanding  are 
perverted.  (Rule.) 

We  cannot  see  an  individual  expire  though  a  stranger  or  an 
enemy  without  being  prompted  by  compassion  to  lend  him  every 
assistance  in  our  power.  (Rule,  and  Remark  e.) 


68  THE    COMMA. 

RULE    IX. 
Vocative  Words,  Phrases,  and  Clauses. 

A  word  or  an  expression,  denoting  a  person  or  an 
object  addressed,  is  separated  by  a  comma  from  the 
rest  of  the  sentence. 

EXAMPLES. 

1.  Antonio,  light  my  lamp  within  my  chamber. 

2.  Take  these  two  savages  to  your  care,  Charon. 

3.  Boast  not,  my  dear  friends,  of  to-morrow. 

REMARKS. 

a.  When  the  terms  or  expressions  in  a  direct  address  indicate 
awe,  wonder,  or  any  other  strong  emotion,  it  is  better  to  use  after 
them  the  note  of  exclamation;  as,  "  My  sister!  0  my  sister!  " 

b.  For  the  punctuation  of  the  personal  pronoun  in  a  vocative 
expression,  see  page  42,  Remark  j. 

ORAL   EXERCISE. 

Assign  the  reason  for  the  insertion  of  commas  in  the  following  sentences  i  — 
Sir,  I  beg  to  acknowledge  the  receipt  of  your  long-expected  letter. 
I  am  obliged  to  you,  ladies,  for  the  kindness  you  have  shown. 
Come  hither,  Moor.  —  What  would  you,  Desdemona? 
From  childhood,  seignior,  you  have  been  my  protector. 
Idle  time,  John,  is  the  most  ruinous  thing  in  the  world. 
Come,  companion  of  my  toils,  let  us  take  fresh  courage. 
All  hope  abandon,  ye  who  enter  here.  —  I  am,  dear  madam,  yours. 


EXERCISE   TO   BE  WRITTEN. 

Punctuate  these  sentences  in  accordance  with  the  above  Rule  i  — 
Continue  my  dear  James  to  make  virtue  your  principal  study. 
Acquire  my  daughters  the  habit  of  doing  every  thing  well. 
Descend  from  heaven  Urania.  —  You  weep  good  Ethelbert. 
Sir  the  declaration  will  inspire  the  people  with  increased  courage. 
This  my  lords  is  a  perilous  and  tremendous  moment. 
Verres  what  have  you  to  advance  against  this  charge  V 
Morning  is  the  best  tim?  to  study  my  beloved  children. 
Thou  who  despisest  the  outward  forms  lose  not  the  inward  spirit. 


PARTICIPIAL    AND    ABSOLUTE   PHRASES.  69 

R  U  L  E    X. 

Adjectival,  Participial,  and  Absolute  Phrases. 

Adjectival,  participial,  and  absolute  phrases  are  each 
separated  by  a  comma  from  the  remainder  of  the  sen 
tence. 

EXAMPLES. 

1.  Awkward  in  his  person,  James  was  ill  qualified  to  command  respect. 

2.  Cradled  in  the  camp,  Napoleon  was  the  darling  of  his  army. 
8.  Having  approved  of  the  plan,  the  king  put  it  into  execution. 
4.  Peace  of  mind  being  secured,  we  may  smile  at  misfortune 

6.  To  speak  candidly,  I  do  not  understand  the  subject. 

6.  Generally  speaking,  the  conduct  of  that  man  is  honorable. 

REMARKS. 

a.  The  first  three  examples  show  the  punctuation  of  adjectival 
aud  participial  phrases,  each  of  these  being  separated  by  a  comma 
from  the  clause  which  follows,  and  with  which  it  is  associated.    The 
next  three  severally  exhibit  that  of  phrases  containing  the  nomina 
tive,  the  infinitive,  and  the  participle  absolute;  so  called  because 
they  are  grammatically  independent  of  the  rest  of  the  sentence  in 
which  they  occur. 

b.  The  phrase  which  begins  the  following  sentence  maybe  treated 
as  an  example  of  the  imperative  absolute,  and  should  therefore  be 
pointed  as  the  other  independent  phrases:  "  Take  him  for  all  in  att, 
I  shall  not  look  upon  his  like  again." 

c.  The  nominative  absolute  when  used  pleonastically,  or  the 
expression  to  which  it  belongs,  is  also  divided  by  a  comma  from 
what  follows  it ;  as,  "  The  captain,  I  hope  he  will  not  act  thus."  — 
"  He  that  hath  ears  to  hear,  let  him  hear." 

d.  Though  followed  by  a  participle,  a  nominative,  if  it  be  the  sub 
ject  of  a  verb,  is  not  absolute  or  independent.    In  this  construction,  a 
comma  should  be  inserted  both  before  and  after  the  participial  phrase ; 
as,  "  He,  being  dead,  yet  speaketh."  —  See  p.  50,  c. 

e.  All  the  phrases  referred  to,  when  used  intermediately  or  paren 
thetically,  are  enclosed  by  commas;   as,  "James,  awkward  in  his 
person,  was  ill  qualified  to  command  respect."  —  See  p.  64. 

f.  The  objective  absolute  or  independent  is  subject  to  the  same 
kind  of  punctuation ;  as,  "  Alfred,  than  whom  a  greater  king  never 
reigned,  deserves  to  be  held  up  as  a  model  to  all  future  sovereigns." 


70  THE    COMMA. 

g.  If  placed  at  the  end  of  the  sentence,  such  phrases  should  each 
be  preceded  by  a  comma;  as,  "  His  conduct  is  honorable,  generally 
speaking.'1''  But  elegance  or  perspicuity  of  style  will  seldom  permit 
this  change  of  position  in  phrases  used  independently. 

h.  In  respect,  however,  to  those  adjectival  and  participial  phrases 
before  which  a  relative  pronoun,  in  its  restrictive  sense,  is  under 
stood,  the  comma  should  be  omitted.  —  See  p.  59,  j,  second  example ; 
and  p.  60,  k,  last  example. 

i.  The  absolute  phrases,  to  proceed,  to  conclude,  &c.,  when  placed 
at  the  beginning  of  a  paragraph,  to  the  whole  of  which  they  refer, 
are  better  pointed  with  a  colon. 


ORAL,   EXERCISES. 

Recite  the  tenth  Rule,  which  lays  down  tlic  principle  for  inserting  commas  in  the 
following  and  simitar  sentenr.es :  — 

Shame  being  lost,  all  virtue  Is  lost.  —  He  being  dead,  we  shall  live. 

Speaking  in  round  numbers,  he  made  fifty  thousand  dollars. 

Crowded  in  filth,  the  poor  cease  to  respect  one  another. 

To  confess  the  truth,  I  was  greatly  to  blame  for  my  indiscretion. 

We  being  exceedingly  tossed,  they  lightened  the  ship. 

Partial  in  his  affections,  he  was  ill  fitted  to  acquire  general  love. 

H.  Tooke  having  taken  orders,  he  was  refused  admission  to  the  bar. 

The  sun  having  risen,  we  departed  on  our  journey. 

His  father  being  dead,  the  prince  succeeded  to  the  throne. 

Raising  his  head  from  the  earth,  man  looks  before  and  after. 

Incensed  with  indignation,  Satan  stood  unterrified. 


How  do  the  Remarks  apply  to  the  punctuation  of  the  following  sentence*  1  — 
Regard  him  as  you  may,  I  think  that  he  is  a  dangerous  man. 
Timothy  Taylor,  may  he  always  thus  act  and  speak ! 
We,  being  exceedingly  tossed,  lightened  the  ship. 
The  prince,  his  father  being  dead,  succeeded  to  the  throne. 
This  is,  to  say  nothing  worse,  highly  reprehensible. 
His  conduct,  generally  speaking,  is  highly  honorable. 
We  set  out  in  the  journey  of  life,  full  of  spirit  and  high  in  hope. 
The  lady  was  agreeable,  being  formed  with  the  qualities  that  we  love. 
We  may  smile  at  misfortune,  peace  of  mind  being  secured. 
Then  came  Jesus,  the  doors  being  shut,  and  stood  in  the  midst. 
I  never  sought  an  opportunity  of  meeting  him,  to  tell  you  the  truth 
Let  them  attend,  all  they  who  feel  interested  in  this  great  subject. 


PARTICIPIAL   AND    ABSOLUTE   PHRASES.  71 

EXERCISE   TO    BE   WRITTEN. 
Let  the  following  sentences  be  pointed  according  to  Rule  X.  or  the  Remarks  .•  — 

Full  of  desire  to  answer  all  demands  the  truly  benevolent  do  not 
think  it  troublesome  to  aid  the  cause  of  the  wretched.  (Rule.) 

There  are  to  confess  the  truth  few  who  are  fully  qualified  for  the 
high  office  of  governing  their  fellows.  (Remark  e.) 

Employed  in  little  things  an  elevated  genius  appeal's  like  the  sun 
in  his  evening  declination.  (Rule.) 

Home  Tooke  having  taken  orders  was  refused  admission  to  the 
bar.  (Remark  d.) 

Having  the  inward  life  men  cannot  conceal  it;  having  divine 
treasures  they  will  not  hoard  them.  (Rule.) 

A  state  of  ease  is  generally  speaking  more  attainable  than  a  state 
of  pleasure.  (Remark  e.) 

Virtue  being  abandoned  we  become  terrified  with  imaginary 
evils.  (Rule.) 

Those  who  are  truly  my  friends  let  them  come  to  my  assistance 
(Remark  c.) 

To  supply  this  deficiency  the  Creator  endowed  him  with  nobler 
qualities  of  intellect.  (Rule.) 

Physicians  the  disease  once  discovered  think  the  cure  half 
wrought.  (Remark  e.) 

Surpassing  the  boast  of  the  too-confident  Roman  Napoleon  but 
stamped  on  the  earth,  and  a  creation  of  enchantment  arose.  (Rule.) 

This  gentleman  take  him  for  all  in  all  possessed  a  greater  variety 
of  knowledge  than  any  man  I  ever  knew.  (Remarks  6,  e.) 

Overwhelmed  with  shame  and  remorse  the  soul  feels  itself  shut 
out  from  heaven.  (Rule.) 

God,  from  the  mount  of  Sinai,  whose  grey  top 
Shall  tremble  he  descending  will  himself 
Ordain  their  laws.  (Remark  c.) 

To  take  some  men  at  their  word  you  would  suppose  they  believed 
that  only  one  class  in  society  was  entitled  to  consideration.  (  Rule.) 

Ores  are  called  native  or  natural  compounds  being  produced  by 
nature.  (Remark  g.) 

I  being  in  the  way,  the  Lord  led  me  to  the  house  of  my  master's 
brother.  (Rule.) 

There  is  no  single  period  of  history,  which  all  things  being  taken 
into  consideration  will  allow  us  to  be  indifferent  to  the  progress  of 
mankind.  (Remark  e.) 


72  THE    COMMA. 

RULE    XL 

Adverbs  and  Adverbial  Phrases. 

Adverbs  or  adverbial  phrases,  when  used  as  con 
nectives,  or  when  they  modify  net  single  words,  but 
clauses  or  sentences,  are  each  followed  by  a  comma ; 
and,  if  used  intermediately,  they  admit  a  comma  before 
as  well  as  after  them. 

EXAMPLES. 

1.  Why,  these  are  testimonies  of  what  the  unfriended  may  do. 

2.  I  proceed,  thirdly,  to  point  out  the  proper  state  of  our  temper. 

3.  On  the  other  hand,  let  not  the  imagination  be  ungovernable. 

4.  Punctuality  is,  no  doubt,  a  quality  of  high  importance. 

5.  The  most  vigorous  thinkers  and  writers  are,  in  fact,  self-taught. 

REMARKS. 

a.  The  following  words,  with  others  of  a  similar  kind,  are  pointed 
in  accordance  with  the  rule :  —  Again,  further,  moreover,  once  more, 
as  yet,  yea,  nay,  why,  well,  first,  secondly,  finally,  accordingly,  con 
sequently,  unquestionably,  indisputably,  namely,  at  present,  in  truth, 
in  short,  in  fine,  in  general,  in  particular,  in  the  meantime,  in  the  next 
place,  in  all  probability,  of  late,  of  course,  above  all,  nevertheless, 
doubtless,  without  doubt,  true  (used  for  indeed),  that  is  (for  namely), 
on  the  one  hand,  on  the  contrary,  for  the  most  part,  now  and  then. 

b.  When  any  of  the  adverbs  or  adverbial  phrases  in  the  preceding 
list,  or  others  of  a  like  character,  are  used  to  qualify  single  words, 
the  commas  should  be  omitted ;  as, "  The  lecture  was  again  delivered." 
—  "  Some  men  are  in  the  highest  degree  mystical." 

c.  Besides  the  adverbs  and  adverbial  expressions  which  qualify 
single  words,  many  of  those  relating  to  the  whole  clause  or  sentence 
in  which  they  occur  are  sometimes  written  and  printed  without  com 
mas;  as,  "Perhaps  I  will  give  it."  —  "He  was  formerly  a  wealthy 
citizen."     The  omission  of  the  point  is  recommended  wherever  the 
adverb  readily  coalesces  with  the  context,  as  it  does  in  the  examples 
just  given. 

a.  If,  however,  there  is  any  harshness  in  the  construction  or  tho 
collocation,  the  adverbial  word  or  expression  may  be  set  off  by 
commas;'  as,  "Poverty,  perhaps,  has  been  the  most  fertile  source 
of  literary  crimes  " 


ADVERBS    AND    ADVERBIAL    PHRASES.  73 

e.  The  insertion  or  the  omission  of  commas  in  respect  to  such 
words  as  hence,  also,  seems,  in  general  practice,  to  be  a  matter  of 
taste  or  caprice.     But,  except  when  required  by  peculiar  reasons, 
the  points  are  better  omitted;  for,  in  general,  these  adverbs  unite 
very  readily  with  the  context;  as,  "Hence  have  arisen  dangerous 
factions."  —  "  The  earth  is  also  clothed  with  verdure." 

f.  Here  and  there,  when  used  antithetically  before  an  adjective 
or  a  noun,  and  placed  at  the  beginning  of  a  clause  or  sentence, 
should  be  each  followed  by  a  comma;  as,  "  Here,  every  thing  is  in 
btir  and  fluctuation:  there,  all  is  serene  and  orderly."     Commonly, 
however,  these  words  do  not  require  to  be  punctuated. 

g.  When  two  intermediate  adverbs,  not  qualifying  any  particular 
word,  come  together,  that  which  coalesces  least  with  the  other  por 
tions  of  the  sentence  should  alone  have  a  comma  both  before  and 
after  it;  as,  "  There  were,  surely,  always  pretenders  in  science." 

h.  Many  words  ranked  as  adverbs  are  sometimes  employed  con 
junctively,  and  require  a  different  treatment  in  their  punctuation. 
When  used  as  conjunctions,  however,  now,  then,  too,  indeed,  are  divided 
by  commas  from  the  context ;  but  when  as  adverbs,  qualifying  the 
words  with  which  they  are  associated,  the  separation  should  not  be 
made.  This  distinction  will  be  seen  from  the  following  examples :  — 

1.  HOWEVER.  —  We  must,  however,  pay  some  deference  to  the  opinions  of 
the  wise,  however  much  they  are  contrary  to  our  own. 

2.  Now.  —  I  have  now  shown  the  consistency  of  my  principles ;  and,  now, 
what  is  the  fan-  and  obvious  conclusion? 

3.  THEN.  — On  these  facts,  tJien,  I  then  rested  my  argument,  and  after 
wards  made  a  few  general  observations  on  the  subject. 

4.  Too.  —  I  found,  too,  a  theatre  at  Alexandria,  and  another  at  Cairo ;  but 
he  who  would  enjoy  the  representations  must  not  be  tow  particular. 

6.  INDEED.  —  The  young  man  was  indeed  culpable  in  that  act,  though, 
indeed,  he  conducted  himself  very  well  in  other  respects. 

When  placed  at  the  end  of  a  sentence  or  a  clause,  the  conjunction 
too  must  not  be  separated  from  the  context  by  a  comma;  as,  "I 
would  that  they  had  changed  voices  too." 

i.  The  particle  therefore,  which  is  used  sometimes  as  an  adverb, 
and  sometimes  as  a  conjunction,  may  be  set  off  by  commas  when  it 
is  of  a  parenthetical  nature,  or  obstructs  the  flow  of  the  composition, 
and  left  unpointed  when  it  coalesces  easily  with  the  other  parts  of 
the  sentence ;  as,  "  Music  has  charms,  and  therefore  ought  to  be 
admired:  if,  therefoi-e,  you  have  an  opportunity  oi  learning  that 
delightful  art,  study  it  with  avidity." 


74  THE    COMMA. 

j.  Bt&ides,  when  used  as  a  preposition,  should  not  be  punctuated  ; 
but,  when  occurring  as  an  adverb  or  a  conjunction,  a  comma  is 
required  after,  and,  if  occurring  intermediately,  also  one  before  it; 
as,  "  Besides  him,  there  was  another  man  who  acted  in  the  same 
manner :  there  were  present,  besides,  several  ladies,  who  seemed  to 
give  their  approbation."  The  same  remark  is  applicable  to  the  word 
notwithstanding. 

k.  Though  the  examples  in  Remarks  h,  i,  j,  are  not  to  be  regarded 
as  models  of  composition,  they  probably  illustrate  the  use  of  the 
comma,  by  the  juxtaposition  of  the  particles,  much  better  than  if  these 
were  put  separately  in  sentences  less  liable  to  critical  objection. 

/.  Used  adverbially,  yesterday,  to-day,  to-morrow,  &c.,  are,  like  the 
adverbs  of  time,  now,  then  (Remark  h),  not  separated  by  points  from 
the  words  with  which  they  are  connected ;  as,  "  John  went  yesterday 
to  Cincinnati." 

TO.  All  adverbial  words  or  phrases,  if  followed  by  a  parenthetical 
expression,  must,  according  to  p.  64,  have  a  comma  after  them ;  but, 
if  finishing  a  sentence  or  a  clause,  they  should  have  that  point  which 
is  required  by  their  position. 

».  When  an  adverbial  word  or  phrase  comes  between  two  phrases 
or  clauses,  it  must  be  separated  by  a  comma  only  from  that  expres 
sion  which  it  does  not  qualify;  as,  "  He  was  saved,  for  a  time  at  least, 
from  a  relapse."  —  "  Though  Nature  has  given  to  all  her  children 
some  conceptions  of  immortality,  stitt  her  information  is  far  from 
proving  satisfactory." 

ORAL   EXERCISES. 

Show  hovo  Uie  punctuation  in  these  sentences  corresponds  to  Rule  XI. ;  — 
Lastly,  let  me  repeat  what  I  stated  at  the  beginning  of  my  lecture. 
Such,  undoubtedly,  is  the  characteristic  of  genuine  virtue. 
On  the  contrary,  I  believe  that  truth  is  the  great  inspirer. 
There  is,  now  and  then,  a  youth  of  more  than  youthful  powers. 
He  made  the  most,  mentally,  of  whatever  came  in  his  way. 
Undoubtedly,  the  statement  he  has  made  is  not  correct. 
There  are  many  ends,  doubtless,  for  which  each  thing  exists. 
But,  lastly,  let  us  examine  the  truth  of  these  arguments. 
In  fact,  modern  civilization  is  a  corrupted  Christianity. 
Such,  in  general,  is  the  humiliating  aspect  of  the  tomb. 
Accordingly,  the  chronicles  of  the  middle  ages  teem  with  crimes. 
The  national  life,  in  short,  is  to  a  certain  extent  diseased. 
Well,  proceed  with  the  speech  which  you  have  so  well  begun. 


ADVERBS    AND    ADVERBIAL    PHRASKS.  75 

According  to  Remarks  on  pages  72-74,  assign  reasons  for  the  punctuation  a/the 
adverbial  or  conjunctive  words  and  phrases  wliick  occur  ui  t/ie  fuLLuwmg 
sentences,  or  for  Uie  viiussion  of  commas  .-  — 

At  present,  the  individual  is  often  crushed  by  circumstances. 

True,  the  rooms  of  the  poor  are  not  lined  with  works  of  art. 

Let  us  further  consider  the  arguments  on  this  subject. 

My  high-blown  pride  at  length  broke  under  me. 

How  inconceivably  thin  and  tender  are  the  threads  of  a  spider  I 

Let  us,  in  the  first  place,  observe  the  inanimate  world. 

That  is,  there  is  a  true  way  of  expressing  truth. 

Well,  I  call  conversation  the  sweet  interchange  of  thought. 

I  do  not  well  know  why  I  should  think  of  it  in  any  other  respect. 

Ay,  love  the  good  and  the  beautiful.  —  Aye  love  the  good,  &c. 

He  first  went  to  New  York,  and  afterwards  to  Philadelphia. 

Attend,  first,  to  the  literal  sense;  and,  secondly,  to  the  metaphorical. 

Probably  there  are  few  who  ever  accomplish  as  much  as  they  expected. 

Few,  probably,  ever  accomplish  as  much  as  they  expected. 

Why  do  you  trust  your  character  to  be  evolved  by  accident? 

If  I  cannot  perform  my  promise,  why,  I  will  regret  having  made  it. 

Hence  all  human  laws  are  more  or  less  imperfect. 

Here  also  is  the  distinction  between  faith  and  mere  assent. 

I  am  inclined,  however,  to  believe  this  to  be  a  mistaken  opinion. 

However  great  Napoleon  was  as  a  general,  he  was  not  a  good  man. 

Now,  feudalism  is  the  embodiment  of  Satanic  pride. 

Now  I  know  in  part;  but  then  shall  I  know  even  as  also  I  am  known. 

It  is,  then,  a  mark  of  wisdom  to  live  virtuously  and  devoutly. 

Have  not  you,  too,  gone  about  the  earth  like  an  evil  genius  V 

We  look  at  all  things  too  exclusively  from  our  own  point  of  view. 

If  she  trust  the  stars  above,  they  can  prove  treacherous  too. 

True  eloquence,  indeed,  does  not  consist  in  mere  speech. 

Professors  Bentley  and  Porson  were  scholars  indeed. 

Our  civilization,  therefore,  is  not  an  unmixed  good. 

Therefore  is  our  civilization  not  an  unmixed  good. 

A  certain  degree  of  moral  culture,  therefore,  must  be  presupposed. 

A  certain  degree  of  moral  culture  must  therefore  be  presupposed. 

Besides  this,  it  may  be  of  the  greatest  advantage  to  you  in  business. 

It  may,  besides,  be  of  the  greatest  advantage  to  you  in  business. 

They,  notwithstanding,  had  much  love  to  spare. 

A  man  may  be  rich,  notwithstanding  pecuniary  losses. 

We  shall  perhaps  leave  the  city  to-morrow  morning. 

Vet.  fair  as  thou  art,  thou  shunnest  to  expose  thyself  to  the  public. 


76  THE    COMMA. 

EXERCISK   TO    HE    WRITTEN. 
Insert  commas  only  where  required  by  Rule  XI.  and  Remarks  (pp.  72-74):  — 

Hence  the  organs  of  sense  are  probably  in  a  state  of  the  greatest 
sensibility  in  an  early  period  of  life.    (Remarks  e,  c.) 

Shakspeare  was  the  most  brilliant  example  unquestionably  of  a 
triumph  over  the  defects  of  education.    (Rule,  and  Remark  a.) 

The  children  of  our  cottagers  too  appear  to  derive  peculiar  plea 
sure  from  the  soft  breath  of  spring.    (Remark  h  4.) 

As  yet  science  has  hardly  penetrated  beneath  the  surface  of 
nature.    (Rule,  and  Remark  a.) 

Characters  endowed  with  great  excellences  will  unfortunately 
often  stand  in  need  of  great  allowances.    (Remark  g.) 

Do  we  in  a  word  reduce  the  whole  of  human  duty  to  a  bald  and 
punctilious  discharge  of  worldly  business?     (Rule.) 

However  much  he  was  persecuted,  he  loved  his  persecutors  not 
the  less.    (Remarks  b,  h  1.) 

The  happiness  of  the  dead  however  is  affected  by  none  of  these 
considerations.     (Remark  hi.) 

First  men  of  uncommon  moral  endowments  may  be  expected  to 
be  men  of  uncommon  intellectual  powers.    (Rule,  and  Remark  a.) 

If  therefore  you  find  that  you  have  a  hasty  temper,  watch  it  nar 
rowly.    ( Remark  i. ) 

The  Greeks  were  great  reasoners ;  and  their  language  accordingly 
abounds  in  connectives.    (Rule,  and  Remark  a.) 

This  was  the  object  to  which  the  meeting  first  directed  its  atten 
tion.    (Remark  b.) 

His  prudent  conduct  may  heal  the  difference ;  nay  may  prevent 
any  misunderstanding  in  future.     (Rule,  and  Remark  a.) 

Having  now  removed  the  objections  made  to  our  conduct,  I  shall 
take  up  very  little  more  of  your  lordships'  time.    (Remarks  b,  h  2.) 

There  was  great  scarcity  of  corn,  and  consequently  dearth  of  all 
other  victuals.    (Rule,  and  Remarks  a,  d.) 

Every  thing  that  grows  is  a  world  probably  of  uncounted  myriads 
of  beings.    (Rule,  and  Remark  d.) 

Sooner  or  later  insulted  virtue  avenges  itself  on  states,  as  well  as 
on  private  men.     (Rule.) 

The  author  therefore  commences  his  undertaking  by  an  analysis 
of  names.    ( Remark  i. ) 

Without  being  rash  on  the  one  hand  or  fearful  on  the  other  we 
shall  find  all  things  working  together  for  good.     (Remark  ».) 


ADVERBS    AND    ADVERBIAL    PHRASES.  77 

Christ  stands  immeasurably  in  advance  of  the  moral  attainments 
of  the  world.  (Remark  b.) 

And  hence  perhaps  it  is  that  Solomon  calls  the  fear  of  the  Lord 
the  beginning  of  wisdom.  (Remark  g.) 

The  lateral  force  of  human  action  that  is  the  influence  of  con 
temporaries,  is  great.  (Rule,  and  Remark  a.) 

Meanwhile  we  do  not  believe  in  any  infallible  specific,  in  any 
sudden  and  unusual  remedy.  (Rule.) 

But  yesterday  the  word  of  Caesar  might  have  stood  against  the 
world.  (Remark  L) 

Sometimes  doubts  and  apprehensions  will  naunt  the  mind  in  its 
searchings  for  truth.  (Rule.) 

But  on  the  other  hand  do  not  suppose  that  poverty  is  altogether  a 
waste  and  howling  wilderness.  (Rule,  and  Remark  c.) 

There  is  undoubtedly  very  often  more  happiness  in  the  hut  than 
in  the  palace.  (Rule,  and  Remark  g.) 

Nature  has  indeed  given  us  a  soil  which  yields  bounteously  to  the 
hand  of  industry.  But  what  are  lands,  £c.  (Remark  h  5.) 

Society  must  of  course  receive  beautv  into  its  character  and 
feeling.  (Rule,  and  Remark  a.) 

Let  us  contemplate  then  this  connection,  which  binds  the  pro 
sperity  of  others  to  our  own.  (Remark  h  3.) 

Still  a  great  and  fruitful  idea  dimly  pervades  the  eccentric  specu 
lations  of  Fourier.  (Rule,  and  Remark  b.) 

We  should  look  on  character  acquired  here  as  the  condition  of 
happiness  hereafter.  (Remark  c,  and  last  of  f.) 

At  present  innumerable  prejudices  obstruct  a  complete  extrac 
tion  of  the  mental  and  moral  wealth  latent  in  society.  (Rule,  and 
Remark  a.) 

Did  I  not  see  other  and  holier  influences  than  the  sword  working 
out  the  regeneration  of  our  race,  1  should  indeed  despair.  (Remarks 


Again  perfection  requires  that  each  quality  should  be  without 
debasing  alloy.  Lastly  perfection  requires  that  all  the  graces  be 
expanded  to  an  unlimited  degree.  (Rule,  and  Remark  a.) 

De  Foe  soon  however  relinquished  every  thing  else  for  literature 
and  politics  ;  for  which  indeed  his  temper  and  talents  adapted  him 
much  better  than  for  business.  (Remarks  h  1,  5.) 

Now  how  does  capital  punishment  operate?  Why  it  cuts  off  the 
offender  from  all  the  chance  of  reformation.  (Remarks  h  2  and  6  ' 
Rule,  and  Remark  a.) 


78  THE    COMMA. 

RULE    XII. 
Phrases  at  the  End  of  Sentences  or  Clauses. 

§  I.  When  a  phrase  beginning  with  a  preposition, 
an  adverb,  or  a  conjunction,  relates  to  or  modifies  a 
preceding  portion  of  the  sentence,  a  comma  is  unneces 
sary,  if  the  parts  are  closely  connected  in  sense. 

§  II.  But  the  point  must  be  inserted  when  its  omis 
sion  would  occasion  ambiguity,  or  when  the  phrase 
begins  with  a  particle  obstructing  the  connection  which 
subsists  between  the  different  portions  of  the  sentence. 

EXAMPLES. 

|L 

t.   For  that  agency  he  applied  without  a  recommendation. 

2.  Cultivate  your  intellectual  powers  by  habits  of  study  and  reflection 

3.  The  idea  is  very  happily  applied  under  one  of  its  forms. 

§11. 

1.  He  applied  for  that  agency,  without  a  recommendation 

2.  Cultivate  your  intellectual  powers,  especially  by  habits  of  study,  &c. 
8.  The  idea  is  very  happily  applied,  at  least  under  one  of  its  forms. 

REMARKS. 

a.  In  the  first  three  examples,  the  phrases  beginning  with  the 
prepositions  "without,"  "by,"  "under,"  are  closely  connected  with 
both  portions  of  the  sentence  in  which  they  severally  occur,  and 
therefore  should  not  be  preceded  by  a  comma. 

b.  If,  in  the  first  example  of  the  second  class,  the  comma  were 
omitted  before  the  preposition  "without,"  the  sentence  might  be 
wrongly  understood  to  mean,  that  a  person  applied  for  an  agency, 
without  its  having  any  recommendation  in  its  favor.     Of  the  next 
example,  if  written  without  the  comma  before  the  adverb  "espe 
cially,"  the  meaning  might  be,  that,  by  habits  of  study  and  reflection, 
you  should  cultivate  particularly  your  intellectual  powers,  that  is, 
in  preference  to  others ;  but  this  is  not  the  sense.    In  both  of  these 
sentences,  the  insertion  of  the  comma,  as  above,  leads  obviously  to 
the  true  signification.    In  the  last  example,  the  sense  is  brought  out 
more  clearly  by  inserting  a  comma  before  the  modifying  words  "  al 


FINAL    PHRASES.  70 

least,"  because  they  belong  rather  to  the  phrase  than  to  the  whole 
clause,  and  obstruct  the  connection  between  "  applied  n  and  "  under 
one  of  its  forms." 

c.  When  the  use  of  a  word  qualifying  the  phrase  interrupts  but 
slightly  the  connection  between  two  parts  of  a  sentence,  the  comma 
is  better  omitted.     Thus,  though  susceptible  of  being  pointed,  the 
following  sentences,  where  the  final  phrases  are  severally  modified 
by  the  words  either,  even,  may  be  written  without  the  comma:  "  A 
good  man  will  be  happy  either  in  this  world  or  the  next."  —  u  The 
knowledge  of  nature  cannot  be  exhausted  even  by  the  wisest." 

d.  But,  if  a  final  phrase  conveys  an  additional  thought,  or  is 
preceded  by  another  phrase,  with  which  it  does  not  readily  unite, 
the  comma  should  be  inserted;  as,  "A  strong  idea  of  religion  has 
generally  prevailed,  even  among  the  most  uncultivated  savages."— * 
"  The  ode  was  frequently  sung  at  his  request,  either  in  the  church  or 
at  some  occasional  meeting  of  the  choir." 

e.  The  rule  is  applicable  to  a  sentence  ending  with  too  phrases, 
each  beginning  with  a  particle,  which  may  be  taken  either  separately 
or  as  a  compound  phrase ;  the  last  or  both  referring  to  some  portion 
of  what  precedes. 

/.  A  phrase,  at  the  end  of  a  clause  or  sentence,  of  an  antithetical 
character,  is  preceded  by  a  comma;  as,  "  Man's  true  destination  is 
not  perfection,  but  the  unceasing  perfecting  of  his  nature."  —  See 
Rule  V.,  p.  45. 

a.  No  point  is  required  before  a  final  phrase  beginning  with  but, 
in  the  sense  of  except ;  as,  "  None  are  poor  but  the  mean  in  mind." 

h.  When  a  phrase  begins  with  a  verb  in  the  infinitive  mood,  and 
its  preposition  signifies  in  order  to,  it  should  not  be  preceded  by  a 
comma;  as,  "  We  do  not  pray  to  God  to  instruct  him."  Unless  where 
the  omission  of  the  point  would  too  closely  unite  the  latter  portion 
of  the  clause  with  the  phrase ;  as,  "  Our  minds  must  go  out  into  the 
infinite  and  immortal  regions,  to  Jind  sufficiency  and  satisfaction  for 
the  present  hour." 

t.  If  the  words  in  order  are  expressed  before  the  infinitive,  the 
phrase  is  usually  preceded  by  a  comma ;  as,  "  We  should  be  vir 
tuous  and  devout,  in  order  to  refine  and  elevate  our  nature." 

j.  Final  phrases,  referring  to  time,  measure,  or  distance,  whether 
they  begin  with  a  preposition  or  are  elliptical,  should  not  be  preceded 
by  any  point;  as,  "  Byron  was  born  on  Jan.  22,  1788,  and  died  April 
19,  1824."  — "The  mason  built  the  wall  a  hundred  feet  high." — 
"  Some  men  can  easily  walk  four  miles  an  hour." 


80  THE    COMMA. 

k.  But  when  the  last  phrase  consists  of  a  date,  and  thft  preceding 
one  ends  with  a  noun,  it  is  better  to  distinguish  the  phrases  by  a 
comma,  unless  they  are  connected  .by  means  of  a  preposition ;  as, 
"The  mills  were  destroyed  by /re,  Sept.  28,  1854."  — "Peace  was 
concluded  between  England  and  France  in  February,  1763." 


ORAL  EXERCISES. 

State  why,  in  conformity  with  Rule  XII.  (p.  78),  commas  are  used  in  some  of 
these  sentences,  and  omitted  in  others :  — 

He  was  a  man  of  extraordinary  powers,  both  of  mind  and  body. 
The  fertile  earth  is  fragrant  after  soft  showers. 
Take  heed  not  to  place  thyself  in  the  power  of  temptation. 
View  the  path  you  are  entering  on,  with  an  enlightened  mind. 
The  grandeur  of  Rome  has  vanished  like  a  spectre  in  the  night. 
Poisons  are  sweet  in  the  moral  world,  as  truly  as  in  the  natural. 
Do  thy  best  to  pluck  this  crawling  serpent  from  my  breast. 
Poverty  of  mind  is  often  concealed  under  the  garb  of  splendor. 
Repentance  is  not  a  single  act,  but  a  habit  of  virtue. 
Truth  is  not  hidden  from  us  by  an  impenetrable  veil. 
All  great  things  are  so,  only  by  the  assemblage  of  small  things. 
Call  off  the  thoughts  when  running  upon  disagreeable  objects. 
Keep  an  inventory  of  your  friends,  rather  than  of  your  goods. 


Mention  why,  in  accordance  with  the  above  Remarks,  commas  are  inserted  or 
omitted  in  the  following  sentences  t  — 

Thou  art  a  soldier  even  to  Cato's  wishes. 

I  knew  the  facts  of  the  case  even  when  I  wrote  to  you. 

Judge  not  either  capriciously  or  by  a  factitious  standard. 

He  was  a  Columbus  in  a  brave  heart,  if  not  in  achievement. 

Virtue  is  not  the  creature  of  will,  but  necessary  and  immutable. 

Our  best  works  are  fractions,  not  complete  and  rounded  unities. 

Nothing  remained  but  to  throw  himself  on  the  mercy  of  Heaven. 

Let  me  find  a  charter  in  your  voice  to  assist  my  simplenesa. 

He  left  the  room  to  see  whether  all  was  safe. 

Cultivate  the  art  of  reading,  in  order  to  read  well. 

Patrick  Kelly  left  Ireland  seventeen  years  ago. 

You  will  be  sure  to  find  me  in  the  school  at  nine  o'clock,  A.M. 

Adam  Smith  was  born  in  Scotland,  1723,  and  died  1790. 

The  Jyre  was  invented  1004  B.C.  ;  and  paper  in  China,  105  B.C. 


FINAL    PHRASES. 


EXERCISE   TO   BE   WRITTEN. 

In  agreement  wtth  the  Rule  and  Hie  Remarks  (pp.  78-80),  lei  comma*  be  inserted 
or  omitted  in  the  following  sentences :  — 

A  year  is  much  in  human  life  particularly  to  the  very  young  and 
very  old.  (Rule,  §  n.) 

Follow  the  perfections  of  your  enemies  rather  than  the  errors  of 
your  friends.  (Rule,  §  n. ;  and  Remark/.) 

The  love  of  praise  should  be  preserved  under  proper  subordina 
tion  to  the  principle  of  duty.  (Rule,  §  i.) 

The  soul  becomes  great  by  the  habitual  contemplation  of  great 
objects.  (Rule,  §  i.) 

Do  not  employ  your  wit  either  to  insult  or  to  offend  your  asso 
ciates.  (Remark  c.) 

I  often  come  to  this  quiet  place  to  breathe  the  airs  that  ruffle  thy 
face.  (First  of  Remark  h.) 

A  true  philosopher  is  careful  to  preserve  an  evenness  of  mind 
both  in  prosperity  and  adversity.  (Rule,  §  n.) 

How  superior  is  the  man  of  forbearance  and  gentleness  to  every 
other  man  in  the  collisions  of  society!  (Rule,  §  n.) 

Christianity  represents  physical  evil  as  the  direct  appointment  of 
God's  love.  (Rule,  §  i.) 

The  active  mind  of  man  seldom  or  never  rests  satisfied  with  its 
present  condition  how  prosperous  soever.  (Rule,  §  11.) 

The  saint  owes  much  of  the  grace  and  elegance  of  his  spirit  to 
the  influences  of  sorrow  in  some  form.  (Rule,  §  i.) 

A  great  mind  is  formed  by  a  few  great  ideas  not  by  an  infinity  of 
loose  details.  (Rule,  both  sections;  and  Remarks  e,  /.) 

The  first  indications  of  genius  disclose  themselves  at  a  very  early 
period.  (Rule,  §  i.) 

The  knowledge  of  any  one  truth  acts  as  an  introducer  and  inter 
preter  between  us  and  all  its  kindred  truths.  (Rule,  $  i.) 

We  cannot  bid  farewell  to  so  large  a  portion  of  human  history 
without  deep  and  earnest  thought.  (Rule,  §  n.) 

Herbert  always  attracted  friends  and  strangers  by  the  elegance 
and  benignity  of  his  manners.  (Rule,  §  i.) 

Law  should  not  be  the  rich  man's  luxury  but  the  poor  man's 
remedy.  (Rule,  §  n.;  and  Remark/.) 

There  are  Christians  who  defer  to  some  perpetual  and  concurrent 
authority  either  in  a  living  person  or  in  a  body  of  persons.  (Rule, 
§  II.;  and  Remark  d.) 


82  THE    COMMA. 

The  intellectual  powers  may  be  exercised  to  the  neglect  ana 
stifling  of  the  moral  and  spiritual.  (Rule,  $  n.) 

Half  of  what  passes  among  men  for  talent  is  nothing  but  strong 
health.  (Rule,  $  I.;  and  Remark  y.) 

Sensible  men  show  their  good  sense  by  saying  much  in  a  few 
words.  (Rule,  §  i.) 

Shake  not  the  credit  of  others  in  endeavoring  to  establish  your 
own.  (Rule,  $  II.) 

Ariosto,  the  eminent  Italian  poet,  was  born  in  the  year  of  our 
Lord  1474,  and  died  1533.  (Remark  j.) 

Let  your  affections  be  cultivated  with  ardor  and  purity  through 
all  the  successive  periods  of  life.  (Rule,  §  I. ;  and  Remark  e.) 

Let  us  not  think  of  the  departed  as  looking  on  us  with  earthly, 
partial  affections.  (Rule,  §  I.) 

Who  can  look  on  this  scene  without  an  increase  of  love  and 
reverence  and  trust?  (Rule,  §  11.) 

The  dormant  faculties  of  men  seem  only  to  be  awaiting  more 
favorable  circumstances  to  disclose  themselves.  (First  of  Rem.  h.) 

The  soul  is  nursed  for  heaven  by  the  discipline  of  a  sacred  sor 
row.  (Rule,  $  i.) 

The  well-being  of  a  community  cannot  flow  from  the  simple  effect 
of  one  great  change  however  necessary  or  successful.  (Rule,  §  n.) 

The  grandeur  and  vastness  of  human  hope  are  corresponded  to 
by  a  similar  grandeur  and  vastness  of  human  nature.  (Rule,  §  i.) 

Some  men  put  on  the  appearance  of  virtue  in  order  to  succeed  in 
their  nefarious  enterprises.  (Rule,  §  n. ;  and  Remark  f.) 

There  are  many  topics  on  which  individuals  may  hold  the  greatest 
diversity  of  opinion  without  any  diminution  of  holy  sympathy  in  the 
essential  principles  of  religion.  (Rule,  §  n. ;  and  Remark  e.) 

Seek  for  distinction  only  among  the  honest  and  pious.  Seek  for 
distinction  but  only  among  the  honest  and  pious.  (Rule,  §§  i.,  n. ; 
and  Remarks  c,  d.) 

Let  us  employ  the  powers  which  our  Creator  has  given  us  in  such 
a  manner  as  will  be  fitted  to  purify  and  elevate  our  nature.  ( Rule, 
|n.) 

Moral  light  must  be  intermingled  with  intellectual  light  to  con 
duct  us  safely  through  our  mortal  course.  (Rule,  §  n. ;  and  last 
portion  of  Remark  h.) 

No  man  can  struggle,  for  years  together,  to  evolve  his  character 
into  pure  moral  manhood  without  shedding  around  him  a  benignant, 
life-giving  influence.  (Rule,  $  n.) 


INVERTED    EXPRESSIONS.  83 

RULE     XIII. 
Inverted  or  Transposed  Expressions. 

Many  phrases  which,  in  their  natural  or  usual  order, 
do  not  require  to  be  punctuated,  are,  when  inverted, 
set  off  by  a  comma  from  the  rest  of  the  sentence. 

K  X  A  M  P  L  K  8. 

1.  By  Cowley,  the  philosopher  Hobbes  is  compared  to  Columbus. 

2.  To  the  wise  and  good,  old  age  presents  a  scene  of  tranquil  enjoyment. 

3.  Of  all  our  senses,  sight  is  the  most  perfect  and  delightful. 

4.  In  perusing  the  works  of  enlightened  men,  we  ought  to  think  much. 

REMARKS. 

a.  The  natural  or  usual  order  of  words  in  English  composition, 
if  adopted  in  the  above  sentences,  would  run  as  follows:  "The 
philosopher  Hobbes  is  compared  by  Cowley  to  Columbus."—"  Old 
age  presents  a  scene  of  tranquil  enjoyment  to  the  wise  and  good."  — 
"  Sight  is  the  most  perfect  and  delightful  of  all  our  senses."  —  "  We 
ought  to  think  much  in  perusing  the  works  of  enlightened  men." 
It  will  be  seen,  that  the  phrases  which  have  been  punctuated  in  the 
examples,  are,  when  put  in  the  usual  order,  written  withoiit  com 
mas,  in  accordance  with  the  first  part  of  Rule  XII.,  p.  78. 

b.  In  the  inverted  or  rhetorical  style  in  which  these  sentences  are 
exemplified  under  the  rule,  it  is  obvious,  that,  if  the  comma  were 
omitted,  we  could  not  read  or  understand  them,  without  a  greater 
exercise  of  the  judgment  than  is  required  when  that  point  is  inserted 
after  each  transposed  phrase. 

c.  But  the  rule,  as  commonly  laid  down  by  grammarians,  is  by  no 
means  universal  in  its  application.     The  mere  circumstance  of  the 
transposition  of  a  word  or  phrase  is  not  a  sufficient  reason  for  intro 
ducing  a  comma,  as  may  readily  be  seen  by  inspecting  either  a 
single  page  of  an  author  who  adopts  this  style,  or  a  few  lines  in  any 
of  the  poets ;  and  indeed,  were  all  such  inversions  punctuated,  both 
perspicuity  and  good  taste  would  be  in  numberless  instances  violated. 
On  the  other  hand,  actual  usage  is  so  discordant,  that,  in  many  cases, 
it  would  seem  to  be  a  matter  of  mere  choice,  whether  an  inverted 
phrase  should  have  a  comma  or  not.     By  attention,  however,  to  th« 
various  modes  in  which  the  sentences  under  notice  are  formed,  most 
of  the  practical  difiiculties  would  be  overcome. 


84  THE    COMMA. 

d.  In  accordance  with  the  remark  just  made,  the  comma  should 
be  dispensed  with  under  the  following  circumstances,  —  unless  the 
inverted  portions  of  a  sentence  are  both  of  them  clauses,  or  severally 
end  and  begin  with  words  of  the  same  part  of  speech,  with  a  noun 
and  an  adjective,  or  vice  versA:  — 

1.  When  the  first  inverted  portion  contains  a  noun  governed  by 
a  verb  in  the  last  part  of  the  sentence ;  as,  "  That  interesting  and 
valuable  history  he  did  not  read."  —  "  Him  and  his  actions  you  will 
very  probably  imitate."  —  "  The  praise  of  judgment  has  Virgil  justly 
contested  with  Homer." 

2.  When  the  second  portion  of  the  sentence  commences  with  a 
verb,  whether  principal  or  auxiliary,  before  its  nominative;  as,  "  At 
the  bottom  of  the  garden  ran  a  little  rivulet."  —  "  Of  the  variegated 
mountain  shatt  nought  remain  unchanged."  —  "  Underneath  our 
happiest  mirth  is  a  calm  fountain  of  sober  thought." 

3.  When  a  preposition  is  removed  from  the  word  to  which  it 
usually  belongs,  and  placed  at  the  beginning  of  the  inverted  phrase; 
as,  "  With  that  portion  of  the  work  he  was  the  least  satisfied;"  in 
stead  of,  "  He  was  the  least  satisfied  with  that  portion  of  the  work." 
—  "  To  egotists  and  pedants  I  have  a  strong  antipathy."  —  "  Of  all 
truly  noble  feelings  they  were  quite  unsusceptible." 

4.  When  the  first  of  the  inverted  portions  of  a  sentence  begins 
with  the  words  it  is,  or  only;  as,  "  It  is  in  the  sphere  of  intellect  alone 
that  men  are  becoming  truly  civilized."  —  "  Only  on  a  few  slight 
occasions  they  felt  disposed  to  be  merciful." 

6.  When,  though  a  distinct  articulation  may  require  a  slight 
pause,  an  inverted  phrase  can  be  read  in  close  connection  with  what 
follows  it,  without  affecting  the  import  of  the  sentence ;  as,  "  In 
infancy  the  mind  is  peculiarly  ductile."  —  "  To  each  the  soul  of  each 
how  dear!  "  —  "  By  these  swwds  we  acquired  our  liberties."  —  "  In 
a  lucid  manner  the  orator  expressed  his  ideas." 

6.  When  an  expression  precedes  an  inverted  phrase  which  is 
connected  more  closely  with  the  latter  portion  of  the  sentence  than 
with  the  former;  as,  "However  opposite  may  be  the  sides  from 
which  we  start  at  the  foot  of  the  mountain,  in  approaching  its  summit 
we  approach  one  another." 

e.  By  carefully  comparing  the  examples  given  under  Remark  d 
with  those  under  the  rule,  and  with  a  few  additional  ones,  which, 
for  the  sake  of  reference,  we  shall  now  present,  the  student  will  be 
struck  with  the  fact,  that,  though  in  some  respects  similar  to  each 


INVERTED    EXPRESSIONS.  85 

other,  they  are  in  other  and  various  respects  dissimilar;  and  he  will 
also  perceive,  that,  while  the  insertion  of  a  comma  in  the  examples 
belonging  to  Remark  d  would  be  of  no  advantage  in  bringing  out  the 
true  meaning  of  the  sentences,  the  omission  of  the  point  between 
the  inverted  portions  of  those  about  to  be  exhibited  would  operate 
to  a  greater  or  less  extent  in  impeding  an  easy  comprehension  of  the 


1.  That  interesting  and  valuable  history  which  you  lent  him,  he  did  not  read 

Kim  whose  actions  you  approve,  you  will  very  probably  imitate. 

The  praise  of  judgment,  Virgil  has  justly  contested  with  Homer. 
2    At  the  bottom  of  the  garden,  a  little  rivulet  ran. 

Of  the  variegated  mountain,  nought  shall  remain  unchanged. 

Underneath  our  happiest  mirth,  there  is  a  calm  fountain  of  sober  thought. 
8.  With  that  portion  of  the  work,  Jeffrey  was  the  least  satisfied. 

To  egotists  and  pedants,  sensible  men  have  a  strong  antipathy. 

Of  all  feelings  that  are  truly  noble,  they  were  quite  unsusceptible. 

4.  In  the  sphere  of  intellect  alone,  men  are  becoming  truly  civilized. 
On  a  few  slight  occasions,  they  felt  disposed  to  be  merciful. 

By  forgetfulness  of  injuries,  we  show  ourselves  superior  to  them. 

5.  In  youth,  shun  the  temptations  to  which  youth  is  exposed. 

To  each,  honor  is  given.  —  By  these,  various  opinions  may  be  held. 

In  a  remarkably  striking  and  lucid  manner,  the  orator  expressed  his  ideas. 

6.  In  approaching  the  summit  of  a  mountain,  we  approach  one  another. 

f.  When,  however,  no  serious  error  would  be  produced  by  tho 
omission  of  the  comma,  the  briefer  inverted  phrases,  even  those 
belonging  to  the  above  class,  may  be  left  unpointed,  if  they  occur 
in  clauses  set  off  by  commas ;  as,  "  On  piety  humanity  is  built,  and 
on  humanity  much  happiness,  and  yet  still  more  on  piety  itself." 
Instances  of  this  kind  are  often  met  with  in  poetry. 

g.  But  such  inverted  words  as  appear  in  the  second  and  third 
examples  of  No.  5  above,  where  the  omission  of  the  comma  would 
manifestly  tend  to  confusion  or  error,  must  in  all  cases  be  punc 
tuated.     So  also  must  any  phrase  that  is  equivalent  to  a  clause,  or 
into  which  it   is  easily  convertible;    as,  "  In  believing  attainment 
inpossible,  you  will  make  it  so;"  that  is,  "  If  you  believe,"  &c.  (see 
Rule  XIV.,  p.  89);  the  only  exception  to  the  use  of  the  point  here 
being  when  such  a  phrase  is  used  under  the  circumstances  specified 
in  Remark  d  6. 

h.  All  inverted  phrases,  when  preceded  by  other  phrases  or  by 
clauses,  are  treated  as  parenthetical  expressions,  and  punctuated 
according  to  Rule  VIII.  and  the  remarks  thereon,  pp.  64,  65. 


86  THE    COMMA. 


ORAL,   EXERCISE. 

JFAy,  according  to  Rule  XIII.  and  Remarks  (pp.  83-86),  are.  commas  inserted  01 
omitted  between  the  transposed  expressions  in  Iht  following  sentences  7  — 

To  most,  religion  is  a  mere  tradition  or  a  momentary  feeling. 

In  fearless  freedom  he  arose.  —  By  vicious  examples  be  not  misled. 

Of  all  ill  habits,  that  of  idleness  is  the  most  incorrigible. 

The  first-fruit  of  your  daily  thoughts  consecrate  to  God. 

In  all  sublime  scenes,  there  is  a  mixture  of  the  awful. 

With  earnest  heart  I  humbly  crave  my  latter  end  like  his  may  be. 

The  history  of  past  ages,  men  often  read  to  little  purpose. 

Her  crystal  lamp  the  evening  star  has  lighted. 

To  minds  of  a  devout  temper,  the  eternal  is  mirrored  in  the  temporal. 

In  the  British  Museum  is  the  original  work  of  Copernicus. 

Whom  ye  ignorantly  worship,  Him  declare  I  unto  you. 

Only  by  degrees  we  turn  our  thoughts  inwardly  on  ourselves. 

Without  much  thought,  books  cannot  be  profitably  read. 

To  public  opinion  all  states  must  in  a  measure  bow. 

Of  good  delivery,  distinct  articulation  is  an  essential  requisite. 

Against  great  force  of  reasoning  it  is  in  vain  to  contend. 

By  the  faults  or  errors  of  others,  wise  men  correct  their  own. 

In  early  years  the  habits  of  industry  are  most  easily  acquired. 

At  his  control,  despair  and  anguish  fled  the  struggling  soul. 

Through  her  rags  do  the  winds  of  the  winter  blow  bleak. 

To  study  the  science  of  spirit,  I  must  enter  my  own  soul. 

All  the  appearances  of  nature  I  was  careful  to  study. 

By  good  nature,  half  the  misery  of  human  life  is  assuaged. 

In  silent  and  solitary  places,  genius  is  often  found. 

Into  that  glorious  world  he  constantly  beckons  us  to  follow  him. 

Like  a  spectre  in  the  night,  the  grandeur  of  Rome  is  vanished. 

Scipio,  Milton  called  "  the  height  of  Home."  —  In  thee  I  confide. 

It  is  only  by  devotion  to  liberal  pursuits  that  we  can  be  truly  libeiftl 

Greater  exploits  than  force,  counsel  and  wisdom  achieve. 

To  thee  I  pour  my  prayer.  —  In  power  and  wealth  exult  no  more. 

What  is  the  right  path,  few  men  take  the  trouble  of  inquiring. 

This  great  error  I  wish  to  expose.  —  It  is  a  place  he  aspires  to  hold. 

In  meeting  with  a  madman,  feign  yourself  a  fool. 

To  those  whose  interests  are  in  danger,  time  is  valuable. 

For  want  of  this,  genius  has  been  a  scourge  to  the  world. 

In  eternity  God  dwelleth,  free  from  anger  and  from  pain. 

With  the  many,  life  is  one  round  of  never-ceasing  toil. 


INVERTED    EXPRESSIONS.  87 


KXKJICISE   TO    BE   WRITTEN. 

Punctuate  Ike  following  sentences,  ur  leave  tliem  unpointed,  in  accordance  arilA 
the  thirteenth  Rule  and  t)ie  Remarks  thereon ;  — 

In  the  production  and  preservation  of  order  all  men  recognize 
something  that  is  sacred.    (Rule,  and  Remark  e  6.) 

From  the  right  exercise  of  our  intellectual  powers  arises  one  of 
the  chief  sources  of  our  happiness.  (Remark  d  2,  3.) 

Through  life  truth  ought  to  be  one  of  the  great  objects  of  human 
pursuit.  (Rule,  and  Remark  e  5.) 

In  the  attainment  of  ah1  excellence  in  the  arts  patronage  and 
genius  should  go  hand  in  hand.  (Rule.) 

Education  is  at  home  a  friend,  abroad  an  introduction,  in  solitude 
a  solace,  in  society  an  ornament.  (Remark  d  5.) 

In  every  material  action  of  your  life  consider  well  its  probable 
result.  (Rule,  and  Remark  e  5.) 

Of  all  our  virtuous  emotions  those  of  kind  regard  are  the  most 
readily  imitated.  (Rule.) 

In  the  solemn  silence  of  the  mind  are  formed  those  great  resolu 
tions  which  decide  the  fate  of  men.  (Remarked  2.) 

Before  giving  way  to  anger  try  to  find  a  reason  for  not  being 
angry.  (Rule,  and  last  portion  of  Remark  g.) 

In  the  acuteness  of  the  external  senses  some  of  the  inferior  animals 
excel  our  species.  (Rule,  and  Remark  e  5.) 

Over  matchless  talents  probity  should  throw  its  brightest  lustre. 
(Rule,  and  Remark  e  3.) 

It  is  from  the  spirit's  own  pearl  that  the  good  embellish  their 
character.  (Remark  d  4.) 

From  the  little  root  of  a  few  letters  science  has  spread  its  branches 
over  all  nature,  and  raised  its  head  to  the  heavens.  (Rule.) 

Only  in  the  light  of  a  sublime  faith  can  the  history  of  our  race  be 
read  without  despondency.  (Remarks  d  2,  4.) 

In  the  ruffled  and  angry  hour  we  view  every  appearance  through 
a  false  medium.  (Remark  e  5.)  < 

It  is  through  moral  and  spiritual  power  that  the  rivers  of  thought 
and  feeling  are  to  be  turned.  (Remark  d  4.) 

Friend  of  the  brave!  in  peril's  darkest  hour 

Intrepid  Virtue  looks  to  thee  for  power.  (Remark  d  6.) 

Of  all  treasons  against  humanity  there  is  no  one  worse  than  liis 
who  employs  great  intellectual  force  to  keep  down  the  intellect  of 
his  less-favored  brethren.  (Rule.) 


88  THE    COMMA. 

In  these  hours  of  golden  leisure  my  chief  haunt  is  the  banks  of  a 
small  stream.  (Rule,  and  Remark  e  5.) 

This  view  of  religion  I  propose  to  make  the  subject  of  some  free 
discussion.  (Remark  d  1.) 

In  amusement  and  novel-reading  only  the  girl  spends  all  her 
evening  hours.  (Rule,  and  Remark  e  4.) 

On  feelings  allied  to  these  priestcraft  and  sorcery  have  often 
fastened  themselves.  (Rule,  and  Remark  e  3.) 

In  order  to  improve  the  mind  we  ought  less  to  learn  than  to  con 
template.  (Rule,  and  last  portion  of  Remark  g.) 

With  what  you  have  be  satisfied.  —  All  you  hear  believe  not. 
(Remark  e?,  third  line.) 

In  the  hurry  and  eagerness  of  selfish  competition  we  underrate 
the  silent  influence  of  moral  character.  (Rule,  and  Remark  e  5.) 

When  others  are  asleep,  in  its  own  contemplations  the  soul  finds 
a  source  of  solace  and  pleasure.  (Remark  d  6.) 

In  not  learning  your  business  perfectly  you  cannot  give  satisfac 
tion  to  your  employer.  (Rule;  and  Remark  e  6,  and  last  of  g.) 

To  every  character  its  fitting  position  and  appropriate  function 
nave  been  assigned.  (Remark  d  3.) 

It  is  to  the  unaccountable  oblivion  of  our  mortality  that  the  world 
owes  all  its  fascination.  (Remark  d  4.) 

By  doing  nothing  we  learn  to  do  ill.  —  To  command  any  subject 
adequately  we  must  stand  above  it.  (Rule,  and  last  of  Remark  g.) 

In  this  struggle  his  moral  discipline  consists.  On  no  other  terms 
could  he  be  at  once  a  dweller  on  earth  and  an  heir  of  heaven. 
( Remark  d  3,  2,  6.) 

On  some  fond  breast  the  parting  soul  relies, 

Some  pious  drops  the  closing  eye  requires ; 

Even  from  the  tomb  the  voice  of  nature  cries, 

Even  in  our  ashes  live  their  wonted  fires.  (Rem.  d  3,  1,  5,  2.) 

Through  the  dim  veil  of  the  visible  and  perishing  man  catches  a 
glimpse  of  the  vast  significance  of  the  unseen  and  the  eternal.  (Rule, 
and  Remark  e  5.) 

On  beds  of  green  sea-flower  thy  limbs  shall  be  laid, 

Around  thy  white  bones  the  red  coral  shall  grow, 

Of  thy  .fair  yellow  locks  threads  of  amber  be  made, 

And  every  part  suit  to  thy  mansion  below.      (llem.  d  8,  6,  and  f.} 

Into  every  human  being  has  God  breathed  an  immortal  soul.  — 
Into  every  human  being  God  has  breathed  an  immortal  soul.  (Re 
marks  d  2  and  e  2.) 


DEPENDENT    CLAUSES.  89 

RULE     XIV. 
One  Clause  Depending  on  Another. 

Two  clauses,  one  depending  on  the  other,  are  sepa 
rated  by  a  comma. 

EXAMPLES. 

1  Jf  you  would  be  revenged  on  your  enemies,  let  your  life  be  blameless 

2  Wealth  is  of  no  real  use,  except  it  be  well  employed. 

a  Unless  it  blossoms  in  the  spring,  the  tree  will  not  bear  fruit  in  autumn. 

4.  Till  we  can  go  alone,  we  must  lean  on  the  hand  of  a  guide. 

B.  Fill  thy  heart  with  goodness,  and  thou  wilt  find  that  the  world  is  full  of  good. 

REMARKS. 

a.  Sentences  containing  dependent  clauses  are  generally  distin 
guished  by  one  of  them  beginning  with  a  particle  expressive  of 
condition,  admission,  purpose,  causation,  time,  or  place.    They  are 
not,  however,  necessarily  so  constructed,  as  is  shown  in  the  fifth 
example,  the  clauses  of  which  depend,  one  on  the  other,  not  in  form, 
but  in  sense ;  being  equivalent  to  —  "  If  thou  fill  thy  heart  with 
goodness,  thou  wilt  find,"  &c. 

b.  A  phrase  having  the  import  of  a  conditional  clause,  and  put  at 
the  beginning  of  the  sentence,  is  also  distinguished  by  a  comma;  as, 
"  To  be  good,  you  must  do  good ; "  that  is,  "  That  you  may  be  good, 
you  must  do  good."  —  See  p.  85,  last  portion  of  g. 

c.  When,  in  a  sentence  relating  to  time,  place,  or  manner,  the 
clause  beginning  with  an  adverb  is  put  last,  and  is  closely  connected 
in  sense  with  what  precedes  it,  the  comma  should  not  be  inserted; 
as,  "  I  love  my  kind  where'er  I  roam."  —  "You  will  reap  as  you 
sow."     Clauses  like  these  may  be  regarded  as  akin  to  the  restrictive 
relative.  —  See  Rule  VIL,  §  n.,  p.  57. 

d.  But  if  the  adverbs  when,  where,  &c.,  have  only  a  faint  reference 
to  time  or  place,  or  introduce  an  additional  idea,  they  should  be 
preceded  by  a  comma;  as,  "  Refrain  not  to  speak,  when  by  speaking 
you  may  be  useful  to  others."  —  "  Andrew  sailed  for  California, 
where  he  does  a  flourishing  business." 

t.  When  the  conjunctions  if  and  becav&e  are  used  to  bind  closely 
together  the  two  clauses  between  which  they  are  severally  placed, 
the  comma  is  unnecessary;  as  "  You  may  go  if  you  will."  —  "  Sin 
is  not  less  dangerous  because  men  are  hardened  by  it." 


90  THE    COMMA. 

/".  No  point  should  be  introduced  between  two  clauses  united  by 
the  conjunction  that,  signifying  purpose  or  design,  if  it  is  closely 
connected  with  the  preceding  verb ;  as,  "  He  visited  the  springs  that 
he  might  improve  his  health."  But  a  comma  must  be  inserted  if 
the  conjunction  is  separated  at  some  distance  from  the  verb;  as, 
"  Let  us  consider  the  following  propositions,  that  we  may  fully  under 
stand  the  subject." 

ff.  The  comma  is  usually  admissible  between  the  clauses,  when 
the  words  in  order  come  before  the  conjunction  that,  unless  they  are 
preceded  immediately  by  the  verb;  as,  "  Caesar  visited  Britain,  in 
order  that  he  might  conquer  the  inhabitants."  —  "  The  man  travelled 
in  order  that  he  might  regain  his  strength." 

h.  The  distinction  recommended  hi  the  punctuation  of  the  first 
example  under  each  of  the  Remarks  f  and  g  may  seem  rather  nice; 
but,  undoubtedly,  the  phrase  in  order  that  obstructs  the  flow  of  n 
sentence  more  than  the  simple  conjunction  that. 

ORAL,   EXERCISES. 

Show  how  Rule  XIV.  i*  applicable  to  the  punctuation  of  Hit,  sentence*  that 
follow.— 

Where  thoughts  kindle,  words  spontaneously  flow. 

The  good  which  men  do  is  not  lost,  though  it  is  often  disregarded. 

If  there  were  no  cowardice,  there  would  be  little  insolence. 

Where  the  heart  is  well  guarded,  temptations  cannot  enter. 

It  were  no  virtue  to  bear  calamities,  if  we  did  not  feel  them. 

Make  men  intelligent,  and  they  become  inventive. 

Though  a  civilization  may  die,  it  leaves  imperishable  records. 

People  are  rude  and  unpolite,  because  they  are  ignorant. 

Wherever  we  are,  we  are  not  forgotten  by  a  kind  Providence. 

Were  patrons  more  disinterested,  ingratitude  would  be  more  rare. 

Since  none  enjoy  all  blessings,  be  content  with  a  few. 

Go  where  a  man  may,  home  is  the  centre  to  which  his  heart  turns. 

As  we  grow  older,  life  becomes  dim  in  the  distance. 

We  obey  the  laws  of  society,  because  they  are  the  laws  of  virtue. 

While  the  bridegroom  tarried,  they  all  slumbered  and  slept. 

Dare  to  be  good,  whatever  evil  may  surround  you. 

If  their  lungs  receive  our  air,  that  moment  they  are  free. 

When  beggars  die,  there  are  no  comets  seen. 

Make  up  your  mind  to  do  a  thing,  and  you  will  do  it. 

Every  thing  is  beautiful,  if  left  where  nature  meant  it  to  bo. 


DEPENDENT    CLAUSES.  91 

Haw  do  tiic  Remark.*  (pp.  89,  90)  apply  to  the  punctuation  of  tJir  following 

sentences :  — 

Drop  upon  Fox's  grave  the  tear,  'twill  trickle  to  his  rival's  bier. 
By  playing  with  a  fool  at  home,  he'll  play  with  you  abroad. 
I  will  see  you  when  you  arrive.  —  I  will  go  whither  thou  goest. 
He  went  away  as  soon  as  I  came.  —  Use  time  as  if  you  knew  its  vain  3. 
Do  unto  others  as  you  would  have  them  do  unto  you. 
Quietness  and  peace  flourish  where  justice  and  reason  govern. 
Let  us  live  while  we  live.  —  Fear  not,  while  acting  justly. 
He  went  to  the  city  of  Manchester,  where  he  remained  for  a  year. 
The  age  of  miracles  is  past,  while  that  of  prejudice  remains. 
Sense  shines  with  the  greatest  lustre,  when  it  is  set  in  humanity. 
I  fled  because  I  was  afraid. — Speak  clearly  if  you  would  be  understood 
Truth  is  to  be  loved,purely  and  solely  because  it  is  true. 
Live  well  that  you  may  die  well.  —  We  go  that  we  may  be  in  time. 
Be  studious  and  diligent,  in  order  that  you  may  become  learned. 


EXERCISE   TO    BE   WRITTEN. 

Point,  or  leave  unpointed,  the  following  sentences,  according  to  the  principles  lead 
down  in  the  fourteenth  Rule  and  the  Remarks  :  — 

When  the  great  man  is  laid  in  his  grave  lies  of  malice  are  apt  to 
give  way  to  lies  of  adulation.  (Rule.) 

Decide  not  by  authoritative  rules  when  they  are  inconsistent  with 
reason.  (Rule,  and  Remark  d.) 

A  man  may  comfort  himself  for  the  wrinkles  in  his  face  provided 
his  heart  be  fortified  with  virtue.  (Rule.) 

We  cannot  turn  in  any  direction  where  the  Creator's  love  does 
not  smile  around  us.  (Remark  c.) 

1$'  theological  gossip  were  the  measure  of  religious  faith  we  should 
be  the  devoutest  of  all  human  generations.  (Rule.) 

We  cannot  raise  the  moral  standard  of  the  depressed  classes  till  we 
have  first  improved  their  social  condition.  (Rule,  and  Remark  d.) 

Unless  he  put  a  bridle  on  his  tongue  the  babbler  will  soon  shut 
himself  out  from  all  society.  (Rule.) 

Have  respect  for  yourself  that  others  may  not  disrespect  you. 
(Rule,  and  last  sentence  of  Remark  /.) 

We  should  be  ashamed  of  many  of  our  actions  were  the  world 
acquainted  with  our  motives.  (Rule.) 

By  timely  resisting  them  the  greatest  evils  may  be  overcome. 
Rule,  and  Remark  b.) 


92  THE    COMMA. 

If  there  be  nothing  celestial  without  us  it  is  only  because  all  is 
earthly  within.  (Rule.) 

Remember  your  own  feelings  in  order  that  you  may  judge  of  the 
feelings  of  others.  (Rule,  and  Remarks  g,  h.) 

Where  the  whole  is  one  dark  blot  of  shade  there  can  be  no 
picture.  (Rule.) 

Breathe  into  men  a  fervent  .purpose  and  you  awaken  powers 
before  unknown.  (Rule,  and  Remark  a.) 

Some  people  endeavor  to  divert  their  thoughts  lest  their  minds 
should  reproach  them.  (Rule.) 

We  were  present  when  General  Lafayette  embarked  at  Havre  for 
New  York.  (Remark  c.) 

When  we  combat  error  with  any  other  weapon  than  argument 
we  err  more  than  those  whom  we  attack.  ( Rule. ) 

Let  all  dispose  their  hours  till  midnight  when  again  we  pray  your 
presence.  (Remark  d.) 

In  how  small  a  compass  lie  all  the  elements  of  man's  truest  hap 
piness  if  society  were  only  conducted  in  a  rational  spirit!  (Rule.) 

Suppress  the  first  desires  of  evil  as  soon  as  they  arise,  and  extin 
guish  the  spark  before  it  spreads.  (Remark  c.) 

Where  true  religion  has  prevented  one  crime  false  religions  have 
afforded  a  pretext  for  a  thousand.  (Rule.) 

Our  hearts  should  be  filled  with  gratitude  when  we  contemplate 
the  wonderful  works  of  nature.  (Rule,  and  Remark  d.) 

The  lives  of  men  should  be  filled  with  beauty  even  as  the  earth 
and  heavens  are  clothed  with  it.  (Rule.) 

Rear  stronger  minds  and  they  will  lift  up  the  race  to  sublimor 
heights  of  dignity  and  power.  (Rule,  and  Remark  a.) 

There'  never  is  true  eloquence  except  when  great  principles  and 
sentiments  have  entered  into  the  substance  of  the  soul.  (Rule.) 

We  live  that  we  may  die.  —  Attend  that  you  may  receive  instruc 
tion.  (Remark  /,  first  sentence.) 

If  women  fulfilled  truly  their  divine  errand  there  would  be  no 
need  of  reforming  societies.  (Rule.) 

We  compare  the  divine  Mind  with  ours  that  we  may  have  some 
thing  within  the  grasp  of  our  reason  to  dwell  upon.  ( Last  of  Rem.  /. ) 

We  weep  over  the  dead  because  they  have  no  life,  and  over  the 
living  because  they  have  no  perfection.  (Remark  e.) 

Give  me  a  larger  eye  and  I  will  reveal  to  you  another  rank  of 
worlds  marshalled  behind  those  whose  shining  hosts  you  now  behold. 
(Rule,  and  Remark  a.) 


CORRELATIVE    EXPRESSIONS.  93 

RULE    XV. 
Correlative   Words,  Phrases,  and  Clauses. 

§  I.  Two  correlative  expressions,  united  by  the 
conjunction  as  or  than,  are  written  without  a  point 
between  them. 

§  II.  But,  when  united  by  any  other  word  than 
these  conjunctions,  the  correlative  expressions  are  dis 
tinguished  by  a  comma. 

£  XAMPLES. 

II. 

1.  Men  are  never  |  so  easily  deceived  ||  as  when  they  plot  to  deceive  others. 

2.  A  child  in  the  humblest  walks  of  life  is  |  as  richly  gifted  ||  as  in  the  highest. 

3.  Only  |  such  repentance  is  beneficial  ||  as  makes  us  wiser  and  better. 

4.  Do  not  spend  |  more  time  in  bed  ||  than  is  required  for  sleep. 

§  II. 

1.  But  |  though  learned  and  methodical,  ||  yet  the  teacher  was  not  a  pedant. 

2.  A  great  man  will  |  neither  trample  on  a  worm,  ||  nor  cringe  before  a  king. 

3.  All  know  that  |  as  virtue  is  its  own  reward,  ||  so  vice  is  its  own  punishment. 

4.  Yes,  |  the  more  we  see  of  a  truly  good  man,  H  the  better  we  love  him. 

REMARKS. 

a.  To  indicate  the  true  character  of  the  sentences  just  quoted,  we 
have  put  two  perpendicular  lines  between  each  pair  of  correlative 
expressions,  and  a  single  line  before  the  first  expression,  in  each 
example.    It  will  be  seen,  that  the  phrases  or  clauses  beginning  seve 
rally  with  the  correlative  words,  "  so— as,"  "  as— as,"  "  such— as," 
"  more — than,"  which  occur  in  the  first  class  of  examples,  have  a 
stronger  attraction  to  each  other  than  those  commencing  with  the 
correlatives  "though — yet,"  "neither — nor,"  "as — so,"  "the more — 
the  better,"  in  the  second;  and  that,  on  this  account,  the  expressions 
under  the  former  division  are  properly  written  without  commas,  and 
those  under  the  latter  with  them. 

b.  When  the  conjunction  but  is  improperly  used,  after  so,  for  as 
and  a  negative,  the  sentence  is  subject  to  the  principle  of  punc 
tuation  contained  in  the  first  section  of  the  rule ;  as,  "  There  is  no 
opinion  so  absurd  but  has  [as  not  to  have]  some  philosopher  or  other 
to  produce  in  its  support." 


94  THE    COMMA. 

c.  When,  in  sentences  referable  to  the  first  division  of  the  rule, 
the  last  of  the  correlative  words  requires  a  comma  after  it,  a  comma 
should  also  be  inserted  between  the  correlative  expressions;  as,  "  The 
mind  that  boasts  of  its  rich  endowments  is  so  limited  and  cramped, 
as,  in  comparison  with  what  it  might  enjoy,  to  be  utterly  poor  and 
naked."  It  is  evident,  that,  without  the  point  before  the  conjunction 
as,  this  word  would  seem  to  be  more  closely  united  with  the  preced 
ing  than  with  the  following  portion  of  tne  sentence,  to  which  it 
rather  belongs. 

rf.  Correlative  expressions  should  be  separated,  it  ambiguity  of 
sense  would  be  occasioned  in  any  instance  by  the  omission  of  the 
comma  before  the  second  correlative;  as,  "  Greater  is  he  that  pro- 
phesieth,  than  he  that  speaketh  with  tongues."  Without  the  point, 
the  sentence  might  be  improperly  read  so  as  to  mean,  —  "  Greater 
is  he  that  prophesieth  with  tongues  than  he  that  speaketh  with 
tongues." 

e.  So,  also,  in  respect  to  the  same  class  of  sentences,  the  correla 
tive  expressions  are  better  separated  by  a  comma,  when  they  consist 
of  two  or  more  phrases ;  as,  "  We  can  no  more  preserve  a  stationary 
attitude  |  in  the  moral  world,  than  we  can  refuse  to  accompany  the 
physical  earth  |  in  its  rotation."  Here,  the  insertion  of  the  point, 
though  not  essential,  shows  more  clearly  those  portions  of  the  sen 
tence  to  which  each  set  of  phrases  belongs,  and  by  this  means  serves 
to  bring  out  the  sense. 

/.  As  an  exception  to  the  second  division  of  the  rule,  it  may  be 
remarked,  that  the  comma  is  better  omitted  between  clauses  contain 
ing  the  correlative  words  so  or  such — that,  when  they  are  closely 
connected ;  as,  "  John  was  so  much  injured  that  he  could  not  walk." — 
"  The  earthquake  produced  such  a  shock  tliat  it  awoke  us  all." 

g.  But  if  these  correlatives  are  placed  at  or  near  the  beginning 
of  the  clauses  to  which  they  respectively  belong,  or  if  the  last  cor 
relative  word  has  a  comma  after  it,  the  clauses  should  be  separated, 
agrseably  to  the  rule;  as,  "  So  benevolent  a  man  was  he,  tiiat  almost 
every  act  of  his  was  devoted  to  the  well-being  of  his  race."  —  "  Man 
is  so  created,  that,  let  his  wants  be  as  simple  as  they  will,  he  must 
labor  to  supply  them." 

h.  Expressions  beginning  with  both — and,  whether — or,  either — or, 
neither — nor,  are  generally  separated  by  a  comma  when  each  is  a 
clause,  but  left  unpointed  when  one  of  them  is  a  phrase ;  as,  "  Neither 
flatter  yourselves,  nor  permit  others  to  flatter  you."  —  "  We  cannot 
trace  either  their  causes  or  their  effects." 


CORRELATIVE    EXPRESSIONS.  95 

ORAL,   EXEKCISES. 

Agreeably  to  Rule  XV.  (p.  93),  state  why  some  of  the  following  sentences  art 
printed  with,  and  others  without,  tfie  comma:  — 

It  is  easier  to  rouse  the  passions  than  to  direct  the  mind. 

When  pride  cometh,  then  conieth  shame.  —  She  is  as  good  as  he. 

No  one  is  so  much  alone  in  the  universe  as  a  denier  of  God. 

As  we  do  to  others,  so  shall  it  be  done  unto  us. 

Man  gains  wider  dominion  by  his  intellect  than  by  his  right  arm. 

Wherever  man  is,  there  are  the  elements  of  poetry. 

Every  one  has  as  much  vanity  as  lie  is  deficient  in  understanding. 

If  you  know  that  your  object  is  good,  then  without  hesitation  seek  it. 

A  good  name  is  rather  to  be  chosen  than  great  riches. 

Though  truth  is  fearless  and  absolute,  yet  she  is  meek  and  modest. 

I  have  returned  to  refute  a  libel  as  false  as  it  is  malicious. 

The  more  industrious  you  are,  the  sooner  will  you  learn  a  trade. 

Be  governed  more  by  a  regard  to  duty  than  by  a  prospect  of  gain. 

Such  as  the  tree  is,  such  will  be  the  fruit. 

We  can  discover  nothing  so  sublime  as  the  spirit  of  self-sacrifice. 

The  better  a  proverb  is,  the  more  trite  it  generally  becomes. 

Snow  how  the  preceding  Remarks  will  apply  to  the  punctuation  of  correlative 
clauses  and  phrases  in  the  following  sentences :  — 

No  errors  are  so  trivial  but  they  deserve  to  be  mended,  and  no  sin 
so  slight  but  it  should  be  repented  of  and  renounced. 

Our  sympathy  is  always  awakened  more  by  hearing  the  speaker, 
than  by  reading  his  works  in  our  closet. 

Only  such  sorrow  purifies  and  blesses,  as  comes  to  us  hi  the  pur 
suit  of  high  and  noble  ends. 

Better  is  a  dinner  of  herbs  where  love  is,  than  a  stalled  ox,  and 
hatred  therewith. 

Virtue  is  so  amiable  that  even  the  vicious  admire  it.  —  So  frowned 
the  mighty  combatants,  that  hell  grew  darker  at  the  sight. 

Such  was  the  rush  of  the  people,  that  but  few  could  be  admitted 
to  the  lecture. 

Grace  of  manners  is  so  essential  to  rulers,  that,  whenever  it  is 
neglected,  their  virtues  lose  a  great  degree  of  lustre. 

Whether  my  gift  be  liberal,  or  whether  it  be  niggardly,  is  not  tho 
question.  —  Whether  right  or  wrong,  I  am  held  responsible. 

We  can  neither  fly  from  the  presence  of  God,  nor  escape  his 
sight.  —  Virtue  is  neither  a  phantom  nor  a  vain  vision. 


96  THE    COMMA. 


EXERCISE  TO   BE   WKITTEN. 

Let  these  sentences  be  punctuated  or  not,  agreeably  to  the  fifteenth  Rule  and  the 
Remarks  (pp.  93,  94) :  — 

We  are  so  afraid  of  each  other's  doctrines  that  we  cannot  cure 
each  other's  sins.  (Rule,  §  n.;  and  Remark  g.) 

Does  not  the  glorious  sun  pour  down  his  golden  flood  as  cheerily 
on  the  poor  man's  cottage  as  on  the  rich  man's  palace?  (Rule,  $  i.) 

We  must  not  only  avoid  what  God  has  forbidden  but  do  what  he 
has  commanded.  (Rule,  §  11.) 

One  angel's  history  may  be  a  volume  of  more  various  truth  than 
all  the  records  of  our  race.  (Rule,  §  i.) 

Although  men  are  accused  for  not  knowing  their  own  weakness 
yet  perhaps  as  few  know  their  own  strength.  (Rule,  §  11.) 

He  is  a  better  man  who  wisely  speaks  than  he  who  talks  at  ran- 
dom.  (Remark  d.) 

No  sublimity  is  so  real  as  that  which  makes  itself  deeply  felt  in 
union  with  beauty.  (Rule,  §  i.) 

Though  he  were  as  rich  as  Croesus  still  would  man  be  dissatisfied 
with  his  condition.  (Rule,  §§  i.,  n.) 

Better  live  an  honest  poor  man  than  die  a  selfish  and  grasping 
millionnaire.  (Rule,  §  I.) 

What  thou  forbiddest  us  that  will  we  shun  and  abhor:  what  thou 
conamandest  us  that  will  we  love  and  pursue.  (Rule,  §  n.) 

My  engagements  are  of  such  a  character  as  will  deprive  me  of 
partaking  the  festivities  of  the  day.  (Rule,  §  I.) 

Such  is  the  course  of  nature  that  whoever  lives  long  must  outlive 
those  whom  he  loves.  (Rule,  §  n.;  and  Remark  y.) 

The  doll-shop  is  as  fit  a  place  for  studying  character  as  the  fashion 
able  dinner-party,  the  assembly,  or  the  ball-room.  (Remark  e.) 

The  rarer  the  beauty  of  the  external  scene  the  deeper  should  be 
the  impression  of  the  unseen  God.  (Rule,  §  n.) 

Of  things  invisible,  the  evidence  can  never  be  such  as  those  who 
rely  on  purely  intellectual  assurance  will  demand.  (Rule,  §  i.) 

The  more  a  man  speaks  of  himself  the  less  he  likes  to  hear 
another  spoken  of.  (Rule,  §  n.) 

Nothing  appears  to  us  so  beautiful  in  human  experience  as  the 
reciprocal  affection  of  parents  and  children.  (Rule,  §  I.) 

The  gigantic  genius  of  Shakspeare  so  far  surpassed  the  learning 
*nd  penetration  of  his  time  that  his  productions  were  little  read  and 
less  admired.  (Rule,  §  n.;  and  Remark  g.) 


CORRELATIVE    EXPRESSIONS.  97 

Rather  do  good  than  seem  to  be.  —  So  live  with  men  as  if  God 
aa  w  you.  (Rule,  $  i.) 

The  progress  of  some  men  is  so  rapid  that  they  keep  ahead  of 
common  sense.  ( Remark  f.) 

Neither  could  he  obtain  the  benefits  which  he  desired  nor  avert 
the  calamities  which  he  feared.  (Rule,  §  n. ;  and  first  of  Remark  h.) 

I  am  as  much  known  to  God  as  if  I  were  the  single  object  of  his 
attention.  (Rule,  §  i.) 

Art  is  capable  of  not  only  imitating  nature  in  her  graces  but  even 
of  adorning  her  with  graces  of  her  own.  (Rule,  §  n.) 

Either  the  mere  will  of  the  magistrate  or  the  conscience  of  tho 
individual  must  decide  in  the  case.  (Remark  A,  second  portion.) 

The  more  the  love  of  poetry  is  cultivated  and  refined  the  more  do 
men  strive  to  make  their  outward  lives  rhythmical  and  harmonious. 
(Rule,  §  11.) 

There  is  no  part  of  social  life  which  affords  more  real  satisfaction 
than  those  hours  which  one  passes  in  rational  and  unreserved  con 
versation.  (Rule,  (j  i.) 

Not  more  do  we  discern  in  the  writings  of  Shakspeare  the  greatest 
manifestation  of  human  genius  than  in  the  reality  of  Christ  the  high 
est  expression  of  the  Divine.  (Remark  e.) 

The  more  highly  we  cultivate  our  minds  here  the  better  shall  we 
be  prepared  for  the  nobler  pursuits  of  the  next  stages  of  our  exists 
ence.  (Rule,  §  II.) 

It  had  been  better  for  them  not  to  have  known  the  way  of  right 
eousness  than,  after  they  have  known  it,  to  turn  from  the  holy 
commandment  delivered  unto  them.  (Remark  c  or  e.) 

As  no  cause 

For  such  exalted  confidence  could  e'er 
Exist  so  none  is  now  for  fixed  despair.          (Rule,  $  n.) 

The  age  in  which  George  II.  reigned  was  not  by  any  means 
marked  by  such  striking  features  of  originality  or  vigor  as  some  of 
the  preceding  eras.  (Rule,  §  I.) 

There  is  nothing  which  employs  the  mind  and  the  heart  so  attrac 
tively  as  the  close  study  of  character  in  all  its  smaller  peculiarities. 
(Rule,  §  i.) 

The  universe  at  large  would  suffer  as  little  in  its  splendor  and 
variety  by  the  destruction  of  our  planet  as  the  verdure  and  sub 
lime  magnitude  of  a  forest  would  suffer  by  the  fall  of  a  single  leaf. 

(Remark  e.) 

7 


98  THE    COMMA. 

KULE    XVI. 
Phrases  and  Clauses  in  the  same  Construction. 

Two  or  more  phrases  or  clauses,  when  in  the  same 
construction,  are  separated  by  a  comma  from  each  'other, 
and,  when  they  do  not  complete  a  proposition,  from  the 
remainder  of  the  sentence. 

EXAMPLES. 

3.  No  one  ought  unnecessarily  to  wound  the  feelings  of  his  neighbors,  or  to 
insult  their  religious  prepossessions. 

2.  Ilegret  for  the  past,  grief  at  the  present,  and  anxiety  respecting  the  future, 

are  plagues  which  affect  the  generality  of  men. 

3.  Beauty  haunts  the  depths  of  the  earth  and  sea,  and  gleams  out  in  the  hues 

of  the  shell  and  the  precious  stone. 

4.  Crafty  men  contemn  studies,  simple  men  admire  them,  and  wise  men  use 

them. 

REMARKS. 

a.  The  first  and  second  of  these  sentences  exemplify  the  use  of 
phrases  in  the  same  construction ;  the  third  and  fourth,  that  of  clauses. 
Both  kinds  of  expressions  are  said  to  be  in  the  same  construction, 
for  these  reasons,  —  that,  in  the  first  example,  the  infinitives  "  to 
wound,"  "  to  insult,"  are  each  governed  by  one  and  the  same  verb, 
"  ought ; "  that,  in  the  second,  the  whole  series  of  phrases  forms  a 
compound  nominative  to  the  verb  "are;"  that,  in  the  third,  the 
verbs  "  haunts  "  and  "  gleams,"  occurring  respectively  in  the  two 
clauses,  have  the  same  nominative,  "beauty;"   and  that,  in  the 
fourth,  the  clauses  are  all  formed  alike,  and  have  a  mutual  relation. 
In  the  second  example,  the  co-ordinate  expressions  do  not  conclude 
the  proposition ;  and  therefore  a  comma  is  put  after  the  last  of  these, 
in  order  to  point  out  their  common  dependence  on  what  lullows. 

b.  When  two  brief  phrases  are  formed  alike,  and  united  by  either 
of  the  conjunctions  and,  or,  raw,  the  comma  is  better  omitted  between 
them;  as,  "  A  healthy  body  and  &  sound  mind  should  be  preserved 
as  real  blessings."  —  "The  pastimes  of  youth  have  a  tendency  to 
invigorate  the  body  or  to  expand  the  mind."     The  omission  of  the 
point  is  particularly  recommended,  when  two  phrases  form  a  com 
pound  parenthetical  expression,  or  belong  to  one ;  as,  "  We  must  file 
ti  protest  against  the  practice  of  destroying  the  birds  of  the  garden; 
for,  besides  depriving  us  of  the  beauty  of  their  appearance  and  the  music 


EXPRESSIONS    CONSTRUCTED    ALIKE.  99 

of  their  song,  it  lets  in  a  flood  of  insects,  whose  numbers  the  birds 
were  commissioned  to  keep  down."  —  See  p.  46,  _;. 

c.  If,  however,  by  omitting  the  comma,  two  such  phrases  might 
be  read  so  as  to  obscure  or  pervert  the  meaning,  the  point  must  be 
inserted;  as,  "Receive  blessings  with  thankfulness,  and  afflictions 
with  resignation."  —  See  also  p.  29,  /. 

d.  When  two  connected  phrases  are  different  in  form  or  in  the 
number  of  words,  their  relation  to  the  context  is  better  seen  wheu 
they  are  set  off  by  commas;  as,  "  Undue  susceptibility,  and  the  pie- 
ponderance  of  mere  feeling  over  though  tfulness,  may  mislead  us." 

e.  The  same  mode  of  punctuation  is  adopted  for  a  word  and  a 
phrase,  or  for  a  series  consisting  partly  of  words  and  partly  of  phrases ; 
a  comma,  however,  being  put  after  the  last  particular,  when  it  does 
not  end  the  clause ;  as,  "  Calmness,  modesty,  candor,  forgetfulness  of 
self,  and  love  of  others,  are  all  required  for  the  occasion." 

f.  But,  to  prevent  ambiguity,  a  little  care  is  sometimes  necessary 
to  discriminate  phrases  from  single  words,  as  in  the  following  sen 
tence:  "Their  depravity,  their  spiritual  iynorance  and  destitution,  are 
awfully  great."     Were  a  comma  put  after  "  ignorance,"  the  sentence 
would  be  analyzed   improperly,  and  convey  a   wrong    meaning; 
whereas  the  sense  of  the  passage  requires  the  Italicized  portion  to  be 
viewed,  not  as  a  phrase  and  a  word,  but  as  a  mere  phrase,  and  punc 
tuated  as  above.     By  omitting  the  adjectival  words,  "  their  spiritual," 
which  qualify  both  of  the  nouns  "  ignorance  "  and  "  destitution,"  the 
punctuation  would,  according  to  Rule  III.,  p.  37,  be  thus  exhibited: 
"  Their  depravity,  ignorance,  and  destitution  are  awfully  great." 

y.  When  a  series  consists  both  of  words  and  phrases,  all  con 
nected  by  one  of  the  conjunctions  and,  or,  nor,  the  comma  should  be 
omitted  between  the  single  words,  but  inserted  between  the  phrases ; 
as,  "  Some  men  would  be  distinguished  in  their  occupation  or  pur 
suit  or  profession,  or  in  the  style  of  living,  or  in  the  dignity  of  office, 
or  in  the  glare  and  pride  and  pomp  of  power."  —  See  p.  38,  h. 

fi.  When  a  series  consists  of  phrases  or  clauses,  united  by  either 
of  the  conjunctions  just  named,  the  particulars  are  separated  from 
one  another  by  a  comma;  as,  "  Reach  the  goal,  and  gain  the  prize, 
and  wear  the  crown."  But,  if  the  series  is  used  parenthetically,  the 
commas  may  be  omitted;  as,  "Through  the  soul  we  have  direct 
access  to  God,  and,  by  a  trustful  heart  and  a  submissive  will  and  a 
devoted  service,  may  spiritually  unite  ourselves  with  him."  —  See  b. 

i.  Pairs  of  words  are  regarded  as  phrases,  and  punctuated  in 
accordance  with  the  rule ;  as,  "  Anarchy  and  confusion,  poverty  and 


100  THE    COMMA. 

distress,  follow  a  civil  war."  —  "  Whether  we  eat  or  drink,  labor  or 
sleep,  we  should  be  moderate." 

j.  It  is  very  usual,  particularly  in  the  United  States,  to  omit  the 
comma  between  the  number  of  a  house  or  shop  and  the  street,  and 
after  the  name  of  a  month  when  preceding  that  of  the  year  to  which 
it  belongs;  but,  as  these  words  are  employed  neither  adjectively  nor 
in  apposition,  the  point  should,  beyond  all  doubt,  be  inserted;  as, 
"  No.  140,  Broadway,  New  York,  January,  1855."  —  "  Thomas  Tegg, 
bookseller,  73,  Cheapside."  In  accordance  with  the  same  principle, 
a  comma  should  be  put  after  a  reference  made  to  any  of  the  sacred 
books,  when  it  is  followed  immediately  by  the  chapter  and  verse ;  as, 
"John,  xvi.  20:"  nnless  the  references  to  Scripture  are  numerous, 
when,  for  the  sake  of  neatness,  the  comma  is  better  omitted. 

k.  Consecutive  or  co-ordinate  clauses,  if  not  joined  by  a  conjunc 
tion,  are  sometimes  better  distinguished  by  a  semicolon  or  a  colon 
than  by  a  comma;  as,  "  Deatli  is  certain;  time,  uncertain."  —  "  Death 
is  certain :  time  is  uncertain."  —  See  Rule  XVII.,  p.  104. 

I.  To  exhibit  the  limits  of  the  rule,  it  may  not  be  improper  to 
anticipate  what  will  be  more  fully  treated  of  in  the  next  section; 
namely,  that  clauses,  when  separable  into  smaller  portions  requiring 
the  comma,  are  separated  from  each  other  by  a  semicolon ;  as,  "  How 
strange  it  seems,  that  the  passion  of  love  should  be  the  supreme 
mover  of  the  world ;  that  it  is  this  which  has  dictated  the  greatest 
sacrifices,  and  influenced  all  societies  and  all  times ;  that  to  this  the 
loftiest  and  loveliest  genius  has  ever  consecrated  its  devotion;  that 
but  for  love  there  were  no  civilization,  no  music,  no  poetry,  no 
beauty,  no  life  beyond  the  brute's !  "  The  sentences  given  to  exem 
plify  the  rule  are  not  thus  divisible,  and  are  therefore  punctuated 
only  by  means  of  the  comma. 

ORAL   EXERCISES. 
Say  why,  according1  to  Rule  XVI.,  commas  are  Inserted  in  these  sentences  t  — 

To  cleanse  our  own  opinions  from  falsehood,  our  hearts  from 
malignity,  and  our  actions  from  vice,  is  our  first  concern. 

Speak  as  you  mean,  do  as  you  profess,  and  perform  what  you 
promise. 

Great  moral  principles,  pure  and  generous  dispositions,  cannot  be 
confined  to  this  or  that  spot. 

The  true  worshipper  of  beauty  sees  it  in  the  lowliest  flower,  meets 
it  in  every  path,  enjoys  it  everywhere. 


EXPRESSIONS    CONSTRUCTED   ALIKE.  101 

Eloquence  is  to  be  attained  by  the  full  culture,'tne  general  en 
riching,  of  the  heart  and  mind. 

Has  God  provided  for  the  poor  a  coarser  earth,  a  thinner  air  a 
paler  sky  ? 

The  voice  of  merriment  and  of  wailing,  the  steps  of  the  busy  and 
the  idle,  have  ceased  in  the  deserted  courts. 

Man  was  created  to  search  for  truth,  to  love  the  beautiful,  to 
desire  what  is  good,  and  to  do  the  best. 

You  may  dazzle  men's  eyes  with  large  enterprises  in  philanthropy, 
but  possess  nothing  of  the  philanthropic  spirit. 

Beauty  flows  in  the  waves  of  light,  radiates  from  the  human  face 
divine,  and  sparkles  in  the  pathway  of  every  child. 

The  devil  loves  nothing  better  than  the  intolerance  of  reformers, 
and  dreads  nothing  so  much  as  their  charity  and  patience. 

Infinite  space,  endless  numbers,  and  eternal  duration,  fill  the  mind 
with  great  ideas. 

Assign  the  reasons  given  in  the  Remarks  (pp.  98,  99)  for  the  insertion  or  tke 
omission  of  commas  in  such  sentences  as  the  following  ;  — 

It  is  education  that  characterizes  mental  power  as  the  talent  of 
an  angel  or  the  capacity  of  a  fiend. 

Eminent  talent  and  distinguished  attainment  are  sometimes  con 
nected  with  obliquity  of  character. 

The  student  may,  by  close  application  and  by  proper  culture, 
attain  ease  and  grace  in  his  composition. 

Some  persons  mistake  abhorrence  of  vice  for  uncharitableness, 
and  piety  for  enthusiasm. 

Suffering  often  calls  forth  our  best  feelings,  and  the  highest  energies 
of  the  mind. 

Fraud,  enthusiasm,  and  narrowness  of  view,  often  shape  the 
premises  to  fit  the  conclusion. 

The  beauty  of  his  moral  character,  his  generous  impulses  and 
sympathies,  were  the  theme  of  every  tongue. 

Babylon  and  Troy  and  Tyre,  and  even  early  Rome,  are  passing 
already  into  fiction. 

Age  never  dims  their  sight,  nor  slackens  their  speed,  nor  -weakens 
their  force,  nor  abates  their  fidelity. 

Perfection  of  mind  consists  of  firmness  and  mildness,  of  force  and 
tenderness,  of  vigor  and  grace. 

On  the  rich  and  the  eloquent,  on  nobles  and  priests,  the  Puritans 
looked  down  y/ith  contempt. 


10  THE    COMMA. 

EXERCISE   TO   BE   WRITTEN. 

Let  the  punctuation  of  &uch  of  the  following'  sentences  as  require  to  be  pointed 
accord  with  the  Rale  and  Remarks  (pp.  98-100) :  — 

Joint  effort  conquers  nature  hews  through  mountains  rears  pyra 
mids  dikes  out  the  ocean.  (Rule.) 

With  a  callous  heart,  there  can  be  no  genius  in  the  imagination 
or  wisdom  in  the  mind.  (Rule,  and  Remark  c.) 

Genius  ^deals  with  the  possible  creates  new  combinations  disco 
vers  new  laws  and  acts  from  an  insight  into  principles.  (Rule.) 

Refined  manners  and  polite  behaviour  must  not  be  deemed  alto 
gether  superficial.  (First  of  Remark  b.) 

To  be  wise  in  our  own  eyes  to  be  wise  in  the  opinion  of  the  world 
and  to  be  wise  in  the  sight  of  our  Creator  seldom  coincide.  (Rule.) 

Thou  art  capable  of  something  purer  nobler  infinitely  better  thai) 
thou  hast  become.  (Remark  e.) 

Familiarity  with  the  world's  vices  can  never  reveal  to  you  the 
world's  great  truths  or  enable  you  to  fathom  its  deep  realities.  (Rule.) 

It  should  be  the  first  object  of  education  to  form  a  pure  heart 
high  principle  an  earnest  and  ingenuous  spirit.  (Rule.) 

We  live  in  times  that  call  for  wisdom  in  contemplation  and  virtue 
in  action.  (Rule,  and  Remark  c.) 

Every  human  being  has  a  work  to  carry  on  within  duties  to  per 
form  abroad  influences  to  exert  which  are  peculiarly  his.  (Rule.) 

Resolute  thoughts  find  words  for  themselves  and  make  their  own 
vehicle.  (Rule.) 

The  man  of  enlightened  understanding  and  persevering  ardor 
has  many  sources  of  enjoyment  which  the  ignorant  man  cannot 
reach.  (First  of  Remark  b.) 

The  only  distinctions  in  society  which  should  be  recognized  are 
those  of  the  soul  of  strong  principle  of  incorruptible  integrity  of  useful 
ness  of  cultivated  intellect  of  fidelity  in  seeking  for  truth.  (Rule.) 

To  the  poor  and  the  desolate  the  timid  and  the  anxious  the  weary 
and  the  aged  the  idea  of  a  common  brotherhood  must  be  full  of  light. 
(Rule,  and  Remark  i.) 

The  pure,  kind,  trustful  heart,  intent  on  duty  and  only  ambiticua 
of  usefulness,  bears,  in  the  beaming  eye  and  open  brow  and  gladsome 
voice,  unfailing  evidence  of  inward  peace  and  joy.  (Last  of  Rem.  h.) 

Do  the  voice  of  the  wise  and  the  arm  of  the  brave  and  the  blood 
of  the  patriot  go  for  nothing  in  the  wild  conflict  that  is  desolating 
the  earth?  (Rule,  and  first  of  Remark  h.) 


EXPRESSIONS    CONSTRUCTED    ALIKE.  103 

I  know  of  no  great  expounder  of  moral  principle  I  know  of  no  elo 
quent  teacher  of  divine  truth  who  is  more  useful  in  God's  world,  than 
a  business-man  that  carries  his  religion  into  his  business.  (Rule.) 

Can  we  imagine  that  God's  highest  gifts  of  intelligence  imagina 
tion  and  moral  power  were  bestowed  to  provide  only  for  animal 
wants?  (Remark  e.) 

Ancient  superstition  introduced  the  fine  arts  into  her  train  called 
the  powers  of  genius  to  her  aid  and  employed  the  painter  and  the 
pcet  to  hold  out  her  charms  to  the  world.  (Rule.) 

Want  and  anxiety  and  habitual  discontent  and  hate  of  fancied 
oppression  can  never  raise  a  class  and  excite  it  to  noble  efforts. 
(Rule,  and  Remarks  i,  g.) 

How  often,  in  surveying  the  great  man's  splendid  mansion  and 
wandering  through  his  ancient  woods  and  beautiful  gardens,  have  we 
met  with  some  touching  memorial  of  human  affection!  (Remark  bt 
both  sentences.) 

That  fortitude  which  has  encountered  no  dangers  that  prudence 
which  has  surmounted  no  difficulties  that  integrity  which  has  been 
attended  by  no  temptations  can  at  best  be  considered  but  as  gold 
not  yet  brought  to  the  test.  (Rule.) 

Surely  this  is  a  world  of  plenteousness  and  beauty  and  gladness 
of  loves  and  friendships  of  blessed  homes  and  holy  altars  of  sacred 
communions  and  lofty  aspirations  and  immortal  prospects.  (Rule, 
and  Remarks  g,  6,  and  first  of  h.) 

Faith  is  the  root  and  foundation  of  whatever  is  noble  and  excel 
lent  in  man  of  all  that  is  mighty  and  admirable  in  his  intellect  of  all 
that  is  amiable  and  praiseworthy  in  his  affections  of  all  that  is  sound 
and  stable  in  his  moral  being.  (Rule.) 

Put  holy  truth  in  every  false  heart ;  instil  a  sacred  piety  into  every 
worldly  mind  and  a  blessed  virtue  into  every  fountain  of  corrupt 
desires ;  and  the  anxieties  of  philanthropy  might  be  hushed  and  the 
tears  of  benevolent  prayer  and  faith  might  be  dried  up  and  patriotism 
and  piety  might  gaze  upon  the  scene  and  the  prospect  with  unmin- 
gled  joy.  (Rule,  and  Remarks  rf,  h,  fc,  /.) 

The  culture  of  the  intellect  is  an  unmixed  good,  when  it  is  sacredly 
used  to  enlighten  the  conscience  to  feed  the  flame  of  generous  senti 
ment  to  perfect  us  in  our  common  employments  to  throw  a  grace 
over  our  common  actions  to  make  us  sources  of  innocent  cheerfulness 
and  centres  of  holy  influence  and  to  give  us  courage  strength  sta 
bility  amidst  the  sudden  changes  and  sore  temptations  and  trials  of 
life.  (Rule,  and  Remarks  6,  e.) 


104  THE    COMMA. 

RULE     XVII 

Clauses  having  a  Verb  understood. 

When,  in  a  compound  sentence,  the  clauses  have 
each  a  different  nominative,  but  have  only  one  verb, 
expressed  in  the  first  clause  and  understood  in  the 
others,  the  ellipsis,  or  place  of  the  verb,  should  be 
supplied  by  a  comma. 

EXAMPLES. 

1.  A  wise  man  seeks  to  shine  in  himself;  a  fool,  to  outshine  others. 

2.  The  wise  man  considers  what  he  wants ;  the  fool,  what  he  abounds  in. 

8.  The  wise  man  is  happy  in  his  own  approbation ;  the  fool,  in  the  applause 
of  his  fellows. 

REMARKS. 

o.  In  the  above  examples,  a  comma  is  inserted  after  the  second 
nominative,  "  fool,"  to  indicate,  in  the  first  sentence,  the  ellipsis  of 
the  verb  "  seeks;"  in  the  second,  that  of  the  verb  "  considers;"  and, 
in  the  third,  that  of  the  verb  and  adjective,  **  is  happy."  Hence  a 
semicolon  is  required  before  the  second  nominative  to  divide  each 
sentence  into  the  two  larger  portions  of  which  it  consists,  and  to 
show  the  relation  of  its  various  parts. 

6.  But,  if  two  clauses  have  a  bearing  on  a  final  expression, 
the  comma  should  be  omitted  after  the  second  nominative,  and  the 
semicolon  before  it  changed  into  a  comma;  as,  "  Herder  had  more  of 
the  Oriental  fancy,  Schleiermacher  more  of  the  European  acuteness, 
in  Ms  composition."  For,  were  a  semicolon  put  after  "  fancy,"  and  a 
comma  after  "  Schleiermacher,"  as  in  the  rule,  the  phrase  "  in  his 
composition  "  would  seem  to  be  connected  only  with  the  last  clause, 
though  it  belongs  equally  to  both. 

c.  So,  also,  when  two  short  clauses  are  joined  by  either  of  the 
conjunctions  and,  or,  nor,  but,  and  any  word  but  a  noun  follows 
the  second  nominative,  the  comma  should  be  omitted  where  the  verb 
is  understood,  and  the  semicolon  after  the  first  clause  exchanged  for 
a  comma ;  as,  "  Life  is  precarious,  and  death  certain."  If  a  semicolon 
were  placed  after  the  word  "  precarious,"  it  would  be  necessary  to 
separate  "  death"  and  "  certain"  by  a  comma;  as,  "  Life  is  preca 
rious  ;  and  death,  certain."  But  such  a  mode  of  punctuation  would 
be  too  rigid,  and  is  not  required  for  bringing  out  the  sense. 


THE   VERB    UNDERSTOOD.  105 

d.  When,  too,  in  a  series  of  clauses,  each  ellipsis  is  followed  by  a 
preposition  or  by  the  comparative  as,  the  free  style  of  pointing  seems 
more  appropriate ;  as,  "  Mathematicians  have  sought  knowledge  in 
figures,  philosophers  in  systems,  logicians  in  subtilties,  and  meta 
physicians  in  sounds." 

e.  If,  however,  obscurity  would  arise,  either  in  two  clauses  or 
in  a  series,  from  the  omission  of  the  comma,  —  as,  for  instance, 
when  the  preposition  of  is  used,  —  the  punctuation  adopted  in  the 
examples  under  the  rule  must  be  followed.     Thus:  "  Power  reminds 
you  of  weakness ;  permanency,  of  change ;  life,  of  death ;  light,  of 
darkness;  and  the  true,  of  the  false." 

f.  When  lightness  or  vivacity  characterizes  the  style,  the  free 
mode  of  pointing  is  preferable  to  the  other,  if  no  ambiguity  would 
arise  from  its  use,  as  in  the  following  passage:  "  There  is  a  magic  in 
the  sound  of  *  Stop  thief!   stop  thief! '    The  tradesman  leaves  his 
counter,   and  the  carman  his  wagon;   the  butcher  throws  down 
his  tray,  the  baker  his  basket,  the  milkman  his  pail,  the  errand- 
boy  his  parcels,  the  school-boy  his  marbles,  the  paver  his  pickaxe, 
the  child  his  battled oor:  away  they  run  pellmell,  helter-skelter." 

ORAL   EXKRCISES. 
Why,  according  to  Rule  XVII.,  are  commas  inserted  in  tiiese  sentences'!  — 

Curiosity  allures  the  wise ;  vanity,  the  foolish ;  and  pleasure,  both. 

The  Grecians  excelled  in  precepts ;  the  Romans,  in  examples. 

Homer  was  the  greater  genius ;  Virgil,  the  better  artist. 

Passion  overcomes  shame ;  boldness,  fear ;  and  madness,  reason. 

Anger  prompts  men  to  contention ;  avarice,  to  oppression. 

The  benevolent  man  is  esteemed ;  the  penurious,  despised. 

A  robber  employs  violence ;  and  a  thief,  cunnkig  and  guile. 

The  young  are  slaves  to  novelty ;  the  old,  to  custom. 

War  is  the  law  of  violence ;  peace,  the  law  of  love. 

The  Doric  dialect  was  broad  and  rough ;  the  Ionic,  smooth. 

Semiramis  built  Babylon ;  Dido,  Carthage ;  and  Romulus,  Rome. 

Labor  brings  pleasure ;  idleness,  pain. 

Plants  are  formed  by  culture ;  men,  by  education. 

One  murder  makes  a  villain ;  millions,  a  hero. 

Pleasant  recollections  promote  cheerfulness ;  and  painful  ones,  gloom. 

Crowns  were  the  playthings  of  Napoleon ;  thrones,  his  footstool. 

Truth  belongs  to  the  man ;  error,  to  his  age. 

Benevolence  is  allied  to  few  vices ;  selfishness,  to  fewer  virtues. 


106  THE    COMMA. 

Assign  the  reasons  for  the  punctuation  of  the  following  sentences,  agreeably  to 
tlie  Remarks  (pp.  104^6): 

Our  existence  has  no  support,  our  lite  no  aim,  our  spiritual  weak 
ness  no  power  to  lean  upon,  without  God. 

Shakspeare  was  the  greatest  poet,  Newtoii  the  most  distinguished 
mathematician,  that  England  ever  produced. 

The  coarse  worm  yields  us  a  beautiful  fly,  and  the  thorny  bush 
a  lovely  flower. 

The  notions  of  Dryden  were  formed  by  comprehensive  specula 
tion,  but  those  of  Pope  by  minute  attention. 

Shakspeare  died  in  1616,  Milton  in  1674,  Dryden  in  1700,  Pope  in 
1744,  and  Goldsmith  in  1774. 

Bonaparte  was  a  man  of  unbounded  ambition ;  and  Washington, 
of  disinterested  patriotism. 

EXERCISE   TO   BE   WRITTEN. 

Punctuate  those  sentences  to  which  no  references  are  given,  in  accordance  wit/1. 
Rule  XVII.;  and  the  others  agreeably  to  the  Remarks:  — 

The  character  of  Milton  was  peculiarly  distinguished  by  loftiness 
of  thought;  that  of  Dante  by  intensity  of  feeling. 

Concession  is  no  humiliation  nor  admission  of  error  any  disgrace. 
(Remark  c.) 

Among  the  ancient  critics,  Longinus  possessed  most  delicacy; 
Aristotle  most  correctness. 

The  sculptor  sees  a  statue  and  the  philosopher  a  principle,  where, 
to  the  general  eye,  all  is  "  without  form, and  void."  (Remark  6.) 

Homer's  imagination  is  by  much  the  most  rich  and  copious; 
Virgil's  the  most  chaste  and  correct. 

The  cupola  is  taken  from  the  human  skull  pillars  from  legs  thatch 
ing  from  hair  and  tiling  from  the  scales  of  fish.  (Remark  d.) 

Reading  maketh  a  full  man;  conference  a  ready  man;  and  writing 
an  exact  man. 

Avarice  must  come  to  the  hour  of  utter  destitution  and  pride  to 
the  hour  of  utter  prostration.  (Remark  c.) 

The  quality  the  most  difficult  to  be  found  in  public  situations  is 
probity ;  the  least  difficult  confidence. 

Some  men  are  eminent  for  what  they  possess  some  for  what  they 
achieve  and  others  for  what  they  are.  (Remark  d.) 

The  first  ingredient  in  conversation  is  truth ;  the  next  good  sense ; 
the  third  good-humor;  and  the  fourth  wit. 


THE    VERB    UNDERSTOOD.  107 

All  our  mental  perceptions  suggest  their  opposites,  —  the  finite 
the  infinite ;  the  seen  the  unseen ;  time  eternity ;  creation  a  God. 

A  pictured  landscape  recalls  a  familiar  scene  and  a  portrait  a 
familiar  countenance.  (Remark  c.) 

Talent  is  full  of  thoughts ;  genius  of  thought.  One  has  definite 
acquisitions ;  the  other  indefinite  power. 

Addison  taught  the  intellect  and  fancy  and  Richardson  the  pas 
sions,  to  move  at  the  command  of  virtue.  (Remark  b  or  c.) 

Nature  had  no  obstacles  that  he  did  not  surmount;  space  no 
opposition  that  he  did  not  spurn. 

Among  the  ancient  critics,  Longinus  possessed  most  delicacy 
Aristotle  most  correctness,  of  judgment.  (Remark  6.) 

To  mourn  without  measure  is  folly ;  not  to  mourn  at  all  insensi 
bility.  —  Foresight  is  simple ;  retrospect  multiform. 

The  young  are  slaves  to  novelty  the  old  to  custom  the  middle- 
aged  to  both  the  dead  to  neither.  (Remark  d.) 

Custom  respects  things  which  are  done  by  the  majority ;  habit 
those  which  are  done  by  individuals. 

A  man's  true  prosperity  often  begins  when  he  is  said  to  be  ruined 
and  his  ruin  when  he  is  said  to  be  prospering.  (Remark  c.) 

Genius  is  the  intuitive  perception  of  what  is ;  moral  sentiment 
the  feeling  of  what  ought  to  be. 

Chaucer  most  frequently  describes  things  as  they  are  Spenser  as 
we  wish  them  to  be  Shakspeare  as  they  would  be  and  Milton  as  they 
ought  to  be.  (Remark  d.) 

Delicacy  leans  more  to  feeling;  correctness  more  to  reason  and 
judgment.  The  former  is  the  gift  of  nature;  the- latter  more  the 
product  of  culture  and  art. 

Rashness  is  the  error  of  youth ;  and  timid  caution  of  age.  —  Hurry 
is  the  mark  of  a  weak  mind;  despatch  of  a  strong  one.  (Rule,  and 
Remark  e.) 

All  nature  is  but  art,  unknown  to  thee ; 
All  chance  direction  which  thou  canst  not  see ; 
All  discord  harmony  not  understood; 
All  partial  evil  universal  good. 

The  wise  man  is  happy  when  he  gains  his  own  approbation  and 
the  fool  when  he  recommends  himself  to  the  applause  of  those  about 
him.  (Remark  c.) 

Fear  urges  us  to  action ;  terror  to  flight.  —  The  idle  want  steadi 
ness  of  purpose ;  the  indolent  power  of  exertion.  —  Children  have 
understandings ;  men  intellect. 


108  THE    COMMA. 

RULE     XVIII. 

Clquses  consisting  of  Short  Quotations  or  Remarkt. 

A  short  quotation,  or  any  expression  that  resembles 
a  quotation,  is  separated  by  a  comma  from  the  clause 
which  precedes  it. 

EXAMPLES. 

1.  Dr.  Thomas  Brown  truly  says,  "  The  benevolent  spirit  is  as  universal  in  ita 

efforts  as  the  miseries  which  are  capable  of  being  relieved." 

2.  One  of  the  first  lessons  of  a  judicious  education  is,  Learn  to  think  and  to 

discriminate. 

8.  It  may  be  laid  down  as  a  sacred  maxim,  that  every  man  is  wretched  in 
proportion  to  his  vices. 

REMARKS. 

a.  By  a  short  quotation  is  meant  a  single  sentence,  containing  the 
remark  of  another  writer.     By  an  expression  resembling  a  quotation 
is  indicated  a  remark,  of  some  degree  of  importance,  to  which  atten 
tion  is  called  in  the  introductory  clause.     Such  a  remark  is  not 
unfrequently  preceded  by  the  conjunction  "  that,"  as  in  the  third 
example ;  and,  in  these  cases,  the  comma  is  usually  inserted  before 
the  particle. 

b.  Some  writers  annex  a  dash  [ — j  to  the  comma;  but  this  is 
unnecessary,  except  before  emphatic  or  long  passages.    If,  however, 
quotations  or  remarks  extend  to  two  or  more  sentences,  and  are  for 
mally  or  specially  introduced,  a  colon  is  preferable. 

c.  When  an  indirect  quotation  or  a  remark  is  preceded  by  a  very 
brief  clause,  the  comma  is  not  required ;  as,  "Andrew  says  he  loves 
me."  —  "  I  doubt  'not  that  mind  is  immortal."  —  "  It  is  impossible  that 
we  should  make  Walter  fully  understand  his  ignorance." 

d.  But,  if  the  remark  or  quotation  consists  of  phrases  which  require 
to  be  punctuated,  a  comma  should  precede  the  conjunction,  even 
when  the  introductory  part  of  the  sentence  is  quite  short ;  as,  "  Ossian 
says,  that  sorrow,  like  a  cloud  on  the  sun,  shaded  the  soul  of  Clessa 
mour."     A  comma  should  also  be  inserted  after  the  conjunction,  if 
an  inverted  or  an  adverbial  phrase  begins  the  remark ;   as,  "  It  is 
certain,  that,  in  the  declension  of  taste  and  science,  language  will 
degenerate."    The  reason  for  the  punctuation  in  such  instances  is, 
that  the  omission  of  the  comma  would  bring  the  word  "  that"  into 


SHORT    QUOTATIONS.  109 

too  close  a  contact  with  that  part  of  the  sentence  with  which  it  has 
the  least  affinity.  For  the  sentence  is  obviously  divisible  into  two 
portions,  less  connected  than  others  which  require  to  be  pointed ;  the 
first  ending,  in  the  former  of  these  examples,  with  the  verb  "  says," 
and,  in  the  latter,  with  the  adjective  "  certain." 

e.  The  comma  may  be  omitted  before  that,  when  the  clause  on 
which  the  conjunction  depends  does  not  precede  the  remark,  but  is 
thrown  in  between  its  parts ;  as,  "  In  the  ancient  world,  it  is  weU 
known  that  the  name  of  poet  was  the  same  as  that  of  prophet."    This 
omission  takes  place  because  a  comma  is  put  after  the  first  portion 
of  the  sentence,  and  because  the  repetition  of  the  point  would  tend  to 
give  a  false  view  of  the  construction,  and  thereby  obscure  the  sense. 

f.  But  when,  in  similar  sentences,  the  conjunction  is  omitted,  the 
comma  should  be  substituted,  agreeably  to  the  principle  adopted  in 
parenthetical  expressions ;  as,  "  In  the  ancient  world,  it  is  well  known, 
the  name  of  poet  was  the  same  as  that  of  prophet."  —  See  page  64, 
Rule  VIU. 

g.  A  clause  which  begins  with  what,  when,  where,  if,  or  how,  indi 
cating  an  indirect  question  or  remark,  is  not  usually  separated  from 
its  antecedent  clause;  as,  "  Will  no  one  tell  me  what  she  sings?  "  — 
"  Revelation  clearly  informs  us  how  we  may  obtain  happiness." 

ORAL   EXERCISES. 

Say  why,  according  to  Rule  XVIII.,  the  following  sentences  are  punctuated :  - 

Patrick  Henry  commenced  by  saying,  "  It  is  natural  to  man  to 
indulge  in  the  illusions  of  hope." 

The  great  and  decisive  test  of  genius  is,  that  it  calls  forth  power 
in  the  souls  of  others. 

I  am  not  now  to  discuss  the  question,  whether  the  souls  of  men 
are  naturally  equal. 

The  very  correct  remark  has  been  made,  that  "  it  is  a  great  loss 
to  lose  an  affliction." 

I  reply,  I  do  and  must  regard  heaven  as  a  world  of  intercourse 
and  sympathy. 

His  grand  excellence  was  this,  that  he  was  a  true  man.  —  There 
is  much  in  the  proverb,  "  Without  pains,  no  gains." 

Such  seems  to  be  the  disposition  of  man,  whatever  makes  a  dis 
tinction  produces  rivalry. 

It  is  a  law  of  man's  nature,  that  he  should  endeavor  to  act  before 
hand  the  part  to  which  he  is  destined  in  a  higher  state  of  being. 


110  THE    COMMA. 

How  do  the  preceding  Remarks  (pp.  108-9)  apply  to  the  insen  tion  or  the  omitnov 
of  commas  in  tfie  sentence*  tliat  follow  1  — 

St.  John  says  that  God  is  love.  —  Swift  asserts  that  no  man  ever 
wished  himself  younger. 

Every  one  knows  James  is  a  very  prolific  writer.  —  I  trust  you 
feel  the  importance  of  the  subject. 

It  cannot  be  questioned,  that  we  are,  as  yet,  only  in  the  rudiments 
of  the  great  science  of  education. 

Wirt  writes,  that,  as  a  statesman,  Alexander  Hamilton  was  dis 
tinguished  for  the  great  extent  of  his  views. 

Ere  another  day  pass,  I  hope  that  you  will  find  yourself  surrounded 
by  your  wife  and  children. 

By  the  sweat  of  our  brow,  I  say,  we  have  to  earn  the  little  which 


We  all  know  how  a  man  of  mighty  genius  can  impart  himself  to 
other  minds. 


EXERCISE   TO   BE   WRITTEN. 

Insert  commas  or  not  between  the  clauses  of  the  following  sentences,  in  accord 
ance  with  the  eighteen^  Rale  and  the  Remarks:  — 

Seneca  tells  us  "  There  is  a  settled  friendship,  nay,  a  near  relation 
and  similitude,  between  God  and  good  men."    (Rule.) 

In  the  great  science  of  society,  it  must  be  confessed  that  we  have 
much  to  learn.    (Remark  e.) 

They  know  not  what  they  say  who  cry  out  "  Let  us  build  taber 
nacles  of  rest."    (Rule.) 

Thou  knowest  that  virtue  can  never  be  despoiled  of  its  deathless 
crown.    (Remark  c.) 

It  may  be  laid  down  as  an  unfailing  and  universal  axiom  that 
"  all  pride  is  abject  and  mean."    (Rule.) 

We  know  it  is  wrong.  —  I  tell  you  that  I  have  not  your  book.  - 
He  said  she  bought  it.    (Remark  c.) 

The  true  ennoblement  of  our  nature  consists  in  the  feeling  that 
our  existence  stretches  beyond  the  bounds  of  this  globe.    (Rule.) 

It  is  well  known  what  strange  work  there  has  been  in  the  world, 
under  the  name  and  pretence  of  reformation.    (Remark  g.) 

Thou  shalt  take  up  this  proverb  against  the  king  of  Babylon,  and 
say  "  How  hath  the  oppressor  ceased !  "    (Rule.) 

In  the  din  and  bustle  of  business,  it  may  be  the  voice  of  conscience 
and  duty  speaks  unheard.    (Remark  f.) 


SHORT    QUOTATIONS.  Ill 

I  say  unto  all  Watch.  —  It  is  a  true  saying  that  we  are  never  too 
old  to  be  taught.  (Rule.) 

Coleridge  said  he  had  the  habit  of  seeking  for  the  "  good  and 
beautiful"  in  all  his  eyes  beheld.  (Remark  c.) 

There  is  no  foundation  for  the  popular  doctrine  that  a  state  may 
flourish  by  arts  and  crimes.  (Rule.) 

Some  dream  that  they  can  silence,  when  they  will, 

The  storm  of  passion,  and  say  "Peace,  be  still."      (Rem.  c,  and  Rule.) 

It  has  long  been  a  subject  of  inquiry  whether  there  existed  in 
nature  a  universal  language.  (Rule.) 

Keep  it  in  view  that  the  great  object  of  study  is  to  fit  the  mind 
to  be  an  instrument  of  usefulness  in  life.  (Rule.) 

It  is  not  enough  that  we  have  great  qualities :  we  must  also  have 
the  management  of  them.  (Remark  c.) 

A  celebrated  modern  writer  says  "  Take  care  of  the  minutes, 
and  the  hours  will  take  care  of  themselves."  (Rule.) 

We  affirm  that,  without  some  portion  of  enthusiasm,  no  person 
over  became  a  true  poet  or  painter.  (Remark  c?,  second  sentence.) 

It  was  said  of  Socrates  that  he  brought  philosophy  down  from 
heaven  to  dwell  among  men.  (Rule.) 

I  may  say  that,  of  all  the  men  we  meet  with,  nine  parts  of  ten. 
are  what  they  are,  good  or  evil,  useful  or  not,  by  their  education. 
(Remark  <f,  second  sentence.) 

Tell  me  when  was  it  that  you  felt  yourself  most  strongly  inclined 
to  go  astray  ?  —  Tell  me  when  it  was  that  you  felt  yourself  most 
strongly  inclined  to  go  astray.  (Rule,  and  Remark  g.) 

It  is  one  among  the  pious  and  valuable  maxims  which  are 
ascribed  to  Francis  de  Sales  "  A  judicious  silence  is  always  better 
than  truth  spoken  without  charity."  (Rule.) 

In  delineating  the  character  of  Dr.  Bowditch,  it  deserves  to  be 
mentioned  that  he  was  eminently  a  self-taught  and  self-made  man. 
(Remark  e.) 

Let  me  ask  you  are  your  resolutions  as  firm  as  when  you  first  set 
out  hi  the  spiritual  life  ?  —  Let  me  ask  you  if  your  resolutions  are  as 
firm,  &c.  (Rule,  and  Remark  g.) 

The  poet  Gray,  one  of  the  most  intellectual  and  fastidious  of 
men,  says  "  Happy  they  who  can  create  a  rose-tree,  or  erect  a 
honeysuckle!"  (Rule.) 

Thou  knowest  that  principle,  grounded  in  the  eternal  laws  of 
mind  and  emanating  from  the  unchangeable  essence  of  God,  cannot 
perish.  (Rule,  and  first  of  Remark  d.) 


112  THE    COMMA. 

RULE    XIX. 

Numeral  Figures  and  Words. 

With  the  exception  of  dates,  figures  consisting  of  four 
or  more  characters  are  pointed  with  a  comma  before 
every  three  from  the  end,  or  between  each  class  of 
hundreds. 

EXAMPLE. 

The  population  of  China  in  1743,  according  to  the  French  missionaries, 
was  150,029,855}  in  1825,  according  to  Dr.  Morrison,  352,866,002. 

REMARKS. 

a.  Properly  speaking,  the  comma,  as  here  used,  is  neither  a  gram 
matical  nor  a  rhetorical  point ;  but,  for  the  easy  understanding  of 
the  value  of  sums,  it  is  exceedingly  useful.     The  rule  is  inserted  in 
this  place,  merely  because  a  more  appropriate  situation  could  not 
be  found  for  it  in  the  book. 

b.  When  put  in  words,  numbers  are  usually  left  unpointed ;  as,  to 
take  the  first  calculation  in  the  example,  "  The  population  of  China 
in  1743  was  fifteen  millions  twenty-nine  thousand  eight  hundred  and 
fifty-five." 

c.  When  round  numbers  are  used,  and  no  comparison  is  made 
between  one  sum  and  another,  words  are  preferable  to  figures ;  as, 
"According  to  Balbi,  the  entire  population  of  Africa  is  thirty-nine 
millions." 


EXERCISE   TO   BE   WRITTEN. 
Punctuate  the  figures,  except  those  expressive  of  dates :  — 

The  sun  is  883210  miles  in  diameter,  about  2774692  miles  in 
circumference,  and  distant  from  the  earth  about  95000000  of  miles. 

The  Rocky  Mountains  rise  12500  feet  above  the  level  of  the 
ocean ;  the  Andes,  21440  feet. 

On  April  17, 1790,  Dr.  Franklin  died  at  Philadelphia,  aged  eighty- 
four,  and  bequeathed  $4444  to  the  people  of  Boston,  for  the  benefit 
of  young  married  artificers. 

Population  of  the  city  of  New  York  in  1790  was  33131;  in  1800, 
60489;  in  1810,  96373;  in  1820,  123706;  in  1830,  202589;  in  1840, 
812710;  in  1850,  515507. 


113 


SECT.  H.  —  THE   SEMICOLON. 


The  SEMICOLON  [  ;  ]  is  used  to  separate  such  parts 
of  a  sentence  as  are  somewhat  less  closely  connected 
than  those  separated  by  a  comma. 

RULE    I. 

A  Sentence  consisting  of  Two  Conjoined  Clauses. 
When  two  clauses  are  united  by  either  of  the  con 
junctions  for,  but,  and,  or  an  equivalent  word,  —  the 
one  clause  perfect  in  itself,  and  the  other  added  as  a 
matter  of  inference,  contrast,  or  explanation,  —  they 
are  separated  by  a  semicolon. 

EXAMPLES. 

1.  Economy  is  no  disgrace ;  for  it  is  better  to  live  on  a  little  than  to  outlive  a 

great  deal. 

2.  Genius  breaks  from  the  fetters  of  criticism;  but  its  wanderings  are  sanc 

tioned  by  its  majesty  and  wisdom. 

8.  Modesty  is  one  of  the  chief  ornaments  of  youth;  and  it  has  ever  been 
esteemed  a  presage  of  rising  merit. 


REMARKS. 


a.  When  a  conjunction  unites  two  clauses  incapable  of  being 
subdivided  by  a  comma,  in  the  last  of  which  the  nominative  is 
understood,  the  insertion  of  a  comma  between  the  clauses  is  prefer 
able  to  that  of  the  semicolon.  Thus,  were  the  nominative  "  it,*'  in 
tho  third  example,  omitted,  the  sentence  would  be  punctuated  as 
follows:  "  Modesty  is  one  of  the  chief  ornaments  of  youth,  and  has 
ever  been  esteemed  a  presage  of  rising  merit."  —  See  page  98. 

6.  When  a  sentence  consists  of  three  or  more  clauses,  united  by  a 
conjunction,  none  of  which  are  susceptible  of  division,  a  semicolon 


114  THE    SEMICOLON. 

should  be  put  between  those  which  are  least  connected  in  sense, 
and  a  comma  only  between  the  others ;  as,  "  The  woods  may  dis 
appear,  but  the  spirit  of  them  will  never  now;  for  it  has  been  felt 
by  a  poet,  and  we  can  feel  for  ever  what  he  felt." 

ORAL,   EXERCISE. 

Repeat,  the  preceding  Definition  and  Rule,  and  say  why  semicolons  are  inserted 
in  the  following  sentences :  — 

All  cannot  be  great ;  and  nobody  may  reasonably  expect  all  the 
world  to  be  engaged  with  lauding  his  merits. 

Idleness  is  the  parent  of  every  vice;  but  well-directed  activity  is 
the  source  of  every  laudable  pursuit  and  worldly  attainment. 

Examinations  are  formidable  even  to  the  best  prepared ;  for  the 
greatest  fool  may  ask  more  than  the  wisest  man  can  answer. 

An  entire  retreat  from  worldly  affairs  is  not  what  religion  requires ; 
nor  does  it  even  enjoin  a  long  retreat  from  them. 

Religion  must  be  the  spirit  of  every  hour;  but  it  cannot  be  the 
meditation  of  every  hour. 

A  clownish  air  is  but  a  small  defect;  yet  it  is  enough  to  make  a 
man  disagreeable. 

We  have  carved  a  cross  upon  our  altars ;  but  the  smoke  of  our 
sacrifice  goes  up  to  Thor  and  Odin  still. 

Reasoning  implies  doubt  and  uncertainty ;  and  therefore  God  does 
not  reason. 

Endless  existence  is  a  great  truth;  but  an  immortality  of  pure 
affections  and  holy  employments  is  far  greater. 

Men  must  have  recreation;  and  literature  and  art  furnish  that 
which  is  most  pure,  innocent,  and  refining. 

Do  not  think  yourself  perfect;  for  imperfection  is  natural  to 
humanity. 

Pope  had  perhaps  the  judgment  of  Dry  den;  but  Dryden  cer 
tainly  wanted  the  diligence  of  Pope. 

Life  is  felt  to  be  a  great  and  gracious  boon  by  all  who  enjoy  its 
light;  and  this  is  not  too  much  felt. 

Never  value  yourself  upon  your  fortune;  for  this  is  the  sign  of  a 
weak  mind. 

Virtue  is  a  real  honor;  whereas  all  other  distinctions  are  merely 

titular. 

Distracted  and  surprised  with  deep  dismay 
At  these  sad  tidings ;  but  no  time  was  then 
For  long  indulgence  to  their  tears  or  grief. 


TWO    CONJOINED    CLAUSES.  115 


EXERCISE   TO    BE   WRITTEN. 

Let  the  following  sentences  be  punctuated  agreeably  to  the  preceding  Rule  ana 
Remarks  t  — 

Make  a  proper  use  of  your  time  for  the  loss  of  it  can  never  be 
regained. 

Truth  will  pass  down  in  fragments  to  posterity  but  posterity  will 
collect  and  compose  them  into  a  whole. 

Ivy  is  the  beauty  of  old  ruins  and  your  faith  is  ot  unlike  it  for 
it  springs  up  so  strongly  from  amidst  fallen  hopes.  Remark  b.) 

Mere  knowledge  may  be  idle  but  belief  and  love  will,  and  must, 
go  forth  in  action. 

He  is  a  freeman  whom  the  truth  makes  free 
And  all  are  slaTes  beside. 

Chaucer  followed  nature  everywhere  but  never  went  beyond  her. 
(Remark  a.) 

Good  and  evil  are  inseparable  companions  but  the  latter  often 
hides  behind  the  back  of  the  former. 

Liberal  dealing  is  better  than  almsgiving  for  it  tends  to  prevent 
pauperism,  which  is  better  than  to  relieve  it. 

The  proud  have  no  friends  in  prosperity  for  then  they  knew  no 
body  and  none  in  adversity  for  then  no  one  knows  them.  (Rem.  b.) 

Property  left  to  a  child  may  soon  be  lost  but  the  inheritance  of 
virtue  will  abide  for  ever. 

Outward  suffering  is  the  lot  of  human  nature  and  it  is  cheering 
to  see  it  bravely  borne  even  on  the  battle-field. 

A  good  conscience  is  a  continual  feast  and  proves  a  spring  of  joy 
amidst  the  greatest  distresses.  (Remark  a.) 

The  study  of  truth  is  perpetually  joined  with  the  love  of  virtue 
for  there  is  no  virtue  which  derives  not  its  original  from  truth. 

A  little  philosophy  inclineth  men's  minds  to  atheism  but  depth  in 
philosophy  bringeth  men's  minds  to  religion. 

Infidelity  is  not  always  built  upon  doubt  for  this  is  diffident  nor 
philosophy  always  upon  wisdom  for  this  is  meek.  (Remark  b.) 

Some  persons  make  a  long  story  short  but  most  persons  make  a 
short  story  long.  —  Scott  built  a  castle  but  he  broke  his  heart. 

We  promise  according  to  our  hopes  but  perform  according  to  o\ir 
fears.  (Remark  a.) 

The  esteem  of  wise  and  good  men  is  the  greatest  of  all  temporal 
encouragements  tc  virtue  and  it  is  the  mark  of  an  abandoned  spirit 
to  have  no  regard  to  it. 


116  THE    SEMICOLON. 

RULE     H. 

Expressions  divided  into  Simpler  Parts. 

A  semicolon  is  placed  between  two  or  more  parts  of 
a  sentence,  when  these,  or  any  of  them,  are  divisible 
by  a  comma  into  smaller  portions. 

EXAMPLES. 

1.  Men  are  not  to  be  judged  by  their  looks,  habits,  and  appearances  ;  but  by 

the  character  of  their  lives  and  conversations,  and  by  their  works. 

2.  The  noblest  prophets  and  apostles  have  been  children  once  ;  lisping  the 

speech,  laughing  the  laugh,  thinking  the  thought,  of  boyhood. 

3.  As  we  perceive  the  shadow  to  have  moved,  but  did  not  perceive  it  moving; 

BO  our  advances  in  learning,  as  they  consist  of  such  minute  steps,  are 
perceivable  only  by  the  distance. 

REMARKS. 

a.  It  is  obvious,  that,  if  the  smaller  portions  of  a  sentence  require 
to  be  separated  by  a  comma  from  each  other,  the  construction  and 
sense  of  the  whole  passage  will  be  more  readily  perceived,  if  the 
larger  divisions  are  set  apart  by  the  insertion  of  a  point  indicating  a 
.ess  intimate  connection.     This  will  show  the  propriety  of  putting 
a  semicolon,  in  the  first  example,  between  the  negative  and  the 
affirmative  portion  of  the  sentence  ;  in  the  second,  between  the  clause 
and  the  series  of  phrases  ;  and,  in  the  third,  between  the  members. 

b.  When,  however,  in  a  sentence  resolvable  into  two  or  more  larger 
portions  that  require  to  be  separated  by  a  semicolon,  the  last  ends 
with  a  series  of  phrases,  of  which  only  the  final  one  is  capable  of 
subdivision,  the  comma  will  usually  be  found  sufficient  to  distinguish 
all  the  final  terms.    Thus  :  "  As,  with  a  small  telescope,  a  few  feet  in 
length  and  breadth,  man  learns  to  survey  heavens  beyond  heavens 
almost  infinite;  so,  with  the  aid  of  limited  senses  and  faculties,  does 
he  rise  to  the  conception  of  what  is  beyond  all  visible  heavens, 
beyond  all  conceivable  time,  beyond  aU  imagined  power,  beauty,  and 


c.  When  the  insertion  of  a  semicolon  would  tend  to  break  up  the 
harmony  or  the  dependencies  of  the  thought  expressed,  the  larger 
portions  of  a  sentence,  though  its  smaller  parts  are  susceptible  of 
being  grammatically  divided,  should  be  separated  only  by  a  comma, 


EXPRESSIONS    DIVIDED    INTO    PARTS.  117 

AB  in  the  following  passage :  "  Like  one  of  those  wondrous  rocking 
stones  reared  by  the  Druids,  which  the  finger  of  a  child  might  vibrato 
to  its  centre,  yet  the  might  of  an  army  could  not  move  from  its 
place,  |  our  Constitution  is  so  nicely  poised  and  balanced,  that  it 
seems  to  sway  with  every  breath  of  opinion,  yet  so  firmly  rooted 
in  the  heart  and  affections  of  the  people,  that  the  wildest  storms  of 
treason  and  fanaticism  break  over  it  in  vain."  This  sentence,  though 
containing  seven  grammatical  parts,  or  pointed  groups  of  words,  is 
divisible  into  two  main  portions,  the  first  ending  with  the  word 
"place;"  but  these  larger  portions  cannot  be  more  separated  from 
each  other  than  the  smaller  ones,  because  they  are  so  compactly  and 
finely  bound  together,  that  any  other  mark  than  a  comma  would 
tend  to  loosen  their  connection,  and  to  mar  the  unity  which  runs 
throughout  the  whole  passage. 


ORAI,   EXERCISE. 
Assign  the  reason  for  the  insertion  of  semicolons  in  the  following 

Prosperity  is  naturally,  though  not  necessarily,  attached  to  virtue 
and  merit ;  adversity,  to  vice  and  folly. 

The  furnace  of  affliction  may  be  fierce ;  but,  if  it  refineth  thy  soul, 
the  good  of  one  meek  thought  shall  outweigh  years  of  torment. 

Everything  that  happens  is  both  a  cause  and  an  effect;  being  the 
effect  of  what  goes  before,  and  the  cause  of  what  follows. 

There  is  a  fierce  conflict  of  good  and  evil  throughout  the  universe; 
but  good  is  in  the  ascendant,  and  must  triumph  at  last. 

Argument,  as  usually  managed,  is  the  worst  sort  of  conversation ; 
as  it  is  generally,  in  books,  the  worst  sort  of  reading. 

The  creation  of  a  thousand  forests  is  in  one  acorn ;  and  Egypt, 
Greece,  Rome,  Gaul,  Britain,  America,  lie  folded  already  in  the 
first  man. 

He  was  respectful,  not  servile,  to  superiors ;  affable,  not  improperly 
fiimiliar,  to  equals  ;  and  condescending,  not  supercilious,  to  those 
beneath  him. 

The  little,  bleak  farm,  sad  and  affecting  in  its  lone  and  extreme 
simplicity,  smiled  like  the  paradise  of  poverty;  when  the  lark,  lured 
thither  by  some  green  barley-field,  rose  ringing  over  the  solitude. 

As  a  malicious  censure,  craftily  worded  and  pronounced  with 
assurance,  is  apt  to  pass  with  mankind  for  shrewd  wit ;  so  a  virulent 
maxim  in  bold  expressions,  though  without  any  justness  of  thought, 
is  readily  received  for  true  philosophy. 


118  THE    SEMICOLON. 

It  is  the  first  point  of  wisdom  to  ward  off  evils ;  the  second,  to 
make  them  beneficial. 

The  look  that  is  fixed  on  immortality  wears  not  a  perpetual  smile; 
and  eyes,  through  which  shine  the  light  of  other  worlds,  are  often 
dimmed  with  tears. 

The  golden  rule  is  a  protest  against  selfishness ;  and  selfishness, 
cleaving  as  it  does  to  the  inmost  core  of  our  being,  is  the  besetting 
sin  of  the  world. 

Books  are  standing  counsellors  and  preachers,  always  at  hand, 
and  always  disinterested;  having  this  advantage  over  oral  instructors, 
that  they  are  ready  to  repeat  their  lesson  as  ot'ten  as  we  please. 

EXERCISES   TO    BE   WRITTEN. 
Agreeably  to  the  Rule  (p.  116),  insert  semicolons  in  the  following'  sentences ,  — 

By  granting  that  intellectual  improvement  was  unfavorable  to 
productions  of  the  imagination,  we  should  look  to  the  least  culti 
vated  minds  for  bolder  flights  than  to  Milton,  Pope,  or  Byron  the 
absurdity  of  which  is  seen  by  the  mere  statement  of  it. 

Wordsworth,  in  his  poetry,  works  out  wisdom  as  it  comes  from 
the  common  heart  of  man,  and  appeals  to  that  heart  in  turn  causing 
us  to  recognize  the  truth,  that  there  is  something  in  humanity  which 
deserves  alike  our  love  and  reverence. 

The  most  precious  of  all  possessions  is  power  over  ourselves  power 
to  withstand  trial,  to  bear  suffering,  to  front  danger  power  over  plea 
sure  and  pain  power  to  follow  our  convictions,  however  resisted  by 
menace  and  scorn  the  power  of  calm  reliance  in  scenes  of  darkness 
and  storms. 

There,  cold  and  lifeless,  is  the  heart  which  just  now  was  the  seat 
of  friendship  there,  dim  and  sightless,  is  the  eye  whose  radiant  and 
enlivening  orb  beamed  Wi.n  intelligence  and  there,  closed  forever 
are  those  lips  on  whose  persuasive  accents  we  have  so  often  and  so 
lately  hung  with  transport. 

But  who  the  melodies  of  inorn  can  tell?  — 

The  wild  brook,  babbling  down  the  mountain-side 

The  lowing  herd  the  sheepfold's  simple  bell 

The  pipe  of  early  shepherd,  dim  descried 

In  the  lone  valley  echoing  far  and  wide, 

The  clamorous  horn  along  the  cliffs  above 

The  hollow  murmur  of  the  ocean-tide 

The  hum  of  bees  the  linnet's  lay  of  lore 
And  the  full  choir  that  wakes  the  universal  grove. 


EXPRESSIONS    DIVIDED   INTO    PARTS.  119 

Insert  cm  mas  and  semicolons  In  the  following  sentences,  where  they  m  e  required 

by  the  references :  — 

Be  not  anxious  impatient  over-inquisitive  but  thoughtful  serious 
and  calm.  (Page  116,  Rule;  and  p.  37,  Rule.) 

if  ever  Christianity  appears  in  its  power  it  is  when  it  erects  its 
trophies  upon  the  tomb  when  it  takes  up  its  votaries  where  the  world 
leaves  them  and  fills  the  breast  with  immortal  hope  in  dying  mo 
ments.  (Page  116,  Rule;  p.  89,  Rule  and  d ;  p.  98,  Rule.) 

When  we  look  up  to  heaven  and  behold  the  sun  shining  in  glory 
or  the  moon  and  the  stars  walking  in  brightness  untaught  nature 
prompts  us  to  adore  Him  that  made  them  to  bow  down  and  worship 
in  the  temple  not  made  with  hands.  (Page  116,  Remark  c;  p.  98.) 

Every  particle  of  dust  every  grain  of  sand  every  minutest  atom 
is  an  active  agent  in  the  mighty  whole  making  itself  felt  through 
all  the  masses  in  our  solar  system  and  through  this  on  all  systems 
in  the  universe.  (Rule,  p.  116;  and  Rule,  p.  98.) 

When  the  virtuous  father  of  a  family  stands  before  us  great  in 
native  worth  of  soul  amidst  all  the  outward  tokens  of  poverty  and 
an  humble  calling  what  a  feeling  of  honor  and  sympathy  goes  forth 
spontaneously  from  our  hearts  to  greet  that  truest  expression  of 
human  respectability!  (Page  116,  Remark  c;  p.  64;  p.  79,  h.) 

As  we  trust  the  long  tried  affection  of  a  human  friend  when  for 
reasons  satisfactory  to  him  he  now  and  then  withholds  from  us  his 
ultimate  purposes  so  pious  souls  acquiescing  in  ignorance  and  con- 
scious  of  absolute  dependence  on  the  Parent  Mind  dissolve  their 
fears  and  their  doubts  in  perfect  faith.  (Page  116,  Rule;  p.  89,  Rule 
andd;  and  p.  64.) 

There  also  are  the  eloquence  the  literature  the  poetry  of  all  times 
and  tongues,  —  those  glorious  efforts  of  genius  that  rule  with  a  never- 
dying  sway  over  our  sympathies  and  affections  commanding  our 
smiles  and  tears  kindling  the  imagination  warming  the  heart  filling 
the  fancy  with  beauty  and  awing  the  soul  with  the  sublime  the  ter 
rible  the  powerful  the  infinite.  (Page  116,  Rule  and  b;  pp.  37,  57, 
64,  98.) 

Though  sometimes  on  passing  from  the  turmoil  of  the  city  and 
the  heats  of  restless  life  into  the  open  temple  of  the  silent  universe 
we  are  tempted  to  think  that  there  is  the  taint  of  earth  and  here  the 
purity  of  heaven  yet  sure  it  is  that  God  is  seen  by  us  through  man 
rather  than  through  nature  and  that  without  the  eye  of  our  brother 
and  the  voices  of  our  kind  the  winds  might  sigh  and  the  stars  look 
down  on  us  in  vain.  (Page  116,  Rule;  p.  64;  p.  98,  Rule  and  b.) 


120  THE    SEMICOLON. 

RULE    III. 
A  Series  of  Expressions  having  a  Common  Dependence. 

When,  in  a  series  of  expressions,  the  particulars 
depend  on  a  commencing  or  a  concluding  portion  of 
t.he  sentence,  they  should  be  separated  from  each  other 
by  a  semicolon,  if  they  are  either  laid  down  as  distinct 
propositions,  or  are  of  a  compound  nature. 

EXAMPLES. 

1.  Philosophers  assert,  that  Nature  is  unlimited  in  her  operations ;  that 
she  has  inexhaustible  treasures  in  reserve;   that  knowledge  will  always  be 
progressive ;  and  that  all  future  generations  will  continue  to  make  discoveries, 
of  which  we  have  not  the  slightest  idea. 

2.  To  give  an  early  preference  to  honor  above  gain,  when  they  stand  in 
competition;  to  despise  every  advantage  which  cannot  be  attained  without 
dishonest  arts ;  to  brook  no  meanness,  and  stoop  to  no  dissimulation,  —  are 
the  indications  of  a  great  mind,  the  presages  of  future  eminence  and  usefulness 
in  life. 

3.  If  we  think  of  glory  in  the  field;  of  wisdom  in  the  cabinet;   of  the 
purest  patriotism;   of  the  highest  integrity,  public  and  private;   of  morals 
without  a  stain;  of  religious  feelings  without  intolerance  and  without  extra 
vagance,  —  the  august  figure  of  Washington  presents  itself  as  the  personation 
of  all  these  ideas. 

REMARKS. 

a.  The  first  sentence  exemplifies  a  series  of  clauses,  being  each  a 
distinct  proposition,  but  depending  all  on  the  words  .that  precede 
them,  namely,  "philosophers  assert."     The  second  example  illus 
trates  a  series  of  expressions,  the   first  two  consisting  each  of  a 
phrase  and  a  clause;   the  third,  of  two  coupled  phrases;   and  all 
depending  on  the  portion  which  concludes  the  sentence,  —  on  the 
predicate,  "  are  the  indications  of  a  great  mind,"  &c.     The  third 
example  exhibits  a  series  of  phrases,  which,  according  to  Rule  XVI., 
p.  98,  would  be  punctuated  only  with  a  comma,  were  it  not  for  the 
compound  phrase,  "of  the  highest  integrity,  public  and  private," 
the  subdivision  of  which  requires  to  be  distinguished  by  a  point  less 
significant  than  that  between  the  other  phrases. 

b.  Commas  are  sometimes  preferable  to  semicolons,  when  none  of 
the  particulars  in  a  series  of  clauses,  except  perhaps  the  last,  are 


SERIES    OF    EXPRESSIONS.  121 

divisible  into  simpler  portions.  This  mode  of  punctuation  should  be 
adopted  when  the  particulars  begin  each  with  a  verb,  and  have  a 
common  nominative  on  which  they  depend,  as  in  the  following  pas 
sage  :  "  Poetry  \  reveals  to  us  the  loveliness  of  nature,  binngs  back 
the  freshness  of  early  feeling,  revives  the  relish  of  simple  pleasures, 
keeps  unquenched  the  entlmsiasm  which  warmed  the  spring-time  of 
our  being,  refines  youthful  love,  strengthens  our  interest  in  human 
nature  by  vivid  delineations  of  its  tenderest  and  loftiest  feelings, 
spi'eads  our  sympathies  over  all  classes  of  society,  knits  us  by  new 
ties  with  universal  being,  and,  through  the  brightness  of  its  prophetic 
visions,  helps  faith  to  lay  hold  on  the  future  life."  —  See  page  98. 

c.  If  a  series  of  phrases,  of  which  some  at  least  are  compound, 
though  none  of  them  parts  of  clauses,  depends  on  the  commencing 
or  the  concluding  portion  of  a  sentence,  and  any  of  them  are  capable 
of  being  subdivided  by  means  of  a  comma,  all  the  depending  portions 
should  be  separated  from  each  other  by  a  semicolon ;  as,  "  By  doing 
or  at  least  endeavoring  to  do,  our  duty  to  God  and  man ;  by  acquiring 
an  humble  trust  in  the  mercy  and  favor  of  God,  through  Jesus  Christ; 
by  cultivating  our  minds,  and   properly  employing  our  time  and 
thoughts ;  by  correcting  all  unreasonable  expectations  from  the  world 
and  from  men ;  and,  in  the  midst  of  worldly  business,  habituating 
ourselves  to  calm  retreat  and  serious  recollection,  —  by  such  means 
as  these,  it  may  be  hoped,  that,  through  the  divine  blessing,  our  days 
shall  flow  in  a  stream  as  unruffled  as  the  human  state  admits." 

d.  Accordingly,  such  phrases  as  those  which  occur  in  the  following 
sentence,  though  dependent  on  another  expression,  are  punctuated 
better  by  the  comma:  "The  world  is  still  renewed  with  fresh  life 
and  beauty,  with  a  constant  succession  of  trees  and  plants,  with  a 
new  race  of  animals,  with  a  new  generation  of  men." 

e.  Some  punctuators  insert  a  dash,  instead  of  a  semicolon  or  a 
comma,  between  clauses  or  phrases  dependent  on  other  expressions. 
But,  though  it  is  not  denied  that  in  the  more  rhetorical  kind  of  such 
sentences,  this  mark  may  be  adopted,  the  semicolon  or  the  comma  is 
usually  preferable,  because  the  frequent  recurrence  of  dashes,  thence 
ensuing,  would  be  unpleasant  to  the  eye,  without  affording  a  propor 
tionate  aid  to  the  understanding,  and  would  mar  the  effect  which 
they  have  when  properly  and  necessarily  used. 

f.  The  dash,  however,  appended  to  a  comma,  as  in  the  second  and 
third  examples  under  the  rule,  is  suitably  put  after  the  last  particular, 
that  the  relation  of  all  the  particulars  to  the  portion  on  which  they 
depend  may  be  more  clearly  shown.  —  See  Chap.  III.,  Sect.  III. 


122  THE    SEMICOLON. 


ORAL   KXERCTSE. 

Shtns  how  the  Rule  (p .  120)  may  be  applied  tu  the  insertion  of  the  semicolons  vn 
the  following  sentences  i  — 

To  have  even  our  earthly  being  extended  in  everlasting  remem 
brance  ;  to  be  known  wherever  the  name  of  virtue  can  reach ;  and  to 
be  known  as  the  benefactors  of  every  age,  by  the  light  which  we  have 
diffused,  or  the  actions  which  we  have  performed  or  prompted,  —  who 
is  there  that  does  not  feel  some  desire  of  this  additional  immortality? 

Is  there  any  splendor  to  be  found  in  distant  travels  beyond  that 
which  sets  its  morning  throne  in  the  golden  east ;  any  dome  sublimer 
than  that  of  heaven ;  any  beauty  fairer  than  that  of  the  verdant  and 
blossoming  earth ;  any  place,  though  invested  with  all  the  sanctities 
of  old  time,  like  that  home  which  is  hushed  and  folded  within  tho 
embrace  of  the  humblest  wall  and  roof  V 

Leighton  is  great  by  the  magnificence  of  thought ;  by  the  sponta 
neous  emanations  of  a  mind  replete  with  sacred  knowledge,  and 
bursting  with  seraphic  affections ;  by  that  pauseless  gush  of  intel 
lectual  splendor,  in  which  the  outward  shell,  the  intermediate  letter, 
is  eclipsed  and  almost  annihilated,  that  full  scope  may  be  given  to 
the  mighty  effulgence  of  the  informing  spirit. 

Happy,  thrice  happy,  he  who  relies  on  the  eternity  of  the  soul; 
who  believes,  as  the  loved  fall  one  after  one  from  his  side,  that  they 
have  returned  to  their  native  country ;  who  feels  that  each  treasure 
of  knowledge  he  attains,  he  carries  with  him  through  illimitable 
being ;  who  sees  in  virtue  the  essence  and  the  element  of  the  world 
he  is  to  inherit. 

There  are  men  whose  powers  operate  in  leisure  and  in  retirement, 
and  whose  intellectual  vigor  deserts  them  in  conversation ;  whom 
merriment  confuses,  and  objection  disconcerts;  whose  bashfulness 
resfrains  their  exertion,  and  suffers  them  not  to  speak  till  the  time 
of  speaking  is  past;  or  whose  attention  to  their  own  character  makes 
them  unwilling  to  utter  at  hazard  what  has  not  been  considered,  and 
cannot  be  recalled. 

That  benevolence  which  prompted  Jesus  to  incessant  exertion ; 
which  supported  him  through  unparalleled  suffering;  which  was 
alike  the  soul  of  his  discourses,  his  actions,  and  his  miracles ;  which 
shone  through  his  life  and  his  death;  whose  splendors  were  around 
his  brow  when  he  expired  on  the  cross,  and  when  he  sat  down  on 
the  right  hand  of  the  Majesty  on  high,  —  what  is  it  but  a  glorious 
revelation  of  the  glorious  truth,  that  God  is  love? 


SERIES    OF    EXPRESSIONS.  128 


EXERCISES   TO   BE   WRITTEN. 

Insert  semicolons  or  commas  between  the  particulars  of  each  series  in  these 
sentences,  in  accordance  witli  the  Rule  and  Remarks  (pp.  120-21) :  — 

The  great  tendency  and  purpose  of  poetry  is  to  carry  the  mind 
above  and  beyond  the  beaten,  dusty,  weary  walks  of  ordinary  life 
to  lift  it  into  a  purer  element  and  to  breathe  into  it  more  profound 
and  generous  emotion.  (Rule,  and  Remark  c.) 

He  was  framed  to  enjoy  equally  the  fire  of  poetic  or  the  abstruse 
ness  of  philosophical  writings  to  watch  the  meteor-flash  of  oratory 
or  to  trace  in  history's  page  the  even  course  of  milder  eloquence. 
(Remark  d.) 

Benevolence  remembers  the  slave  pleads  his  cause  with  God  and 
man  recognizes  in  him  a  human  brother  respects  in  him  the  sacred 
rights  of  humanity  and  claims  for  him,  not  as  a  boon  but  as  a  right, 
that  freedom  without  which  humanity  withers,  and  God's  child  is 
degraded  into  a  tool  or  a  brute.  (Remark  6.) 

.  If  thou  hast  never  tasted  the  holy  peace  which  descends  into  the 
simplest  heart,  when  it  fervently  realizes  the  presence  of  God  if  no 
gleam  from  the  future  life  ever  brightens  thy  earthly  way  if  the 
sores  and  irritations  of  thy  contact  with  the  world  are  never  soothed 
and  softened  by  the  healing  consciousness  of  a  divine  love,  —  thou 
hast  studied  to  little  purpose,  and  the  fountains  of  a  true  happiness 
are  yet  sealed  up  to  thee.  (Rule.) 

The  bad  phenomenon  of  character,  which  is  mainly  to  be  traced 
to  impulse,  is  that  of  uncertainty  of  a  being  on  whom  no  dependence 
can.be  placed  who  is  driven  hither  aud  thither  by  every  wind  that 
blows  who  receives  impressions  one  day  from  one  quarter,  another 
day  from  another  who  has  neither  hxed  principles  in  his  intellect, 
nor  harmony  and  consistency  in  his  conduct.  (Rule.) 

No  matter  in  what  language  the  stranger's  doom  may  have  been 
pronounced  no  matter  what  complexion,  ^compatible  with  freedom, 
an  Indian  or  an  African  sun  may  have  burned  upon  him  no  matter 
in  what  disastrous  battle  his  liberty  may  have  been  cloven  down  no 
matter  with  what  solemnities  he  may  have  been  devoted  upon  the 
altar  of  slavery,  —  the  first  moment  he  touches  the  sacred  soil  of 
Britain,  the  altar  and  the  god  sink  together  in  the  dust  his  soul 
walks  abroad  in  her  own  majesty  his  body  swells  beyond  the 
measure  of  his  chains,  that  burst  from  around  him  and  he  stands 
redeemed,  regenerated,  and  disenthralled  by  the  irresistible  Genius 
of  Universal  Emancipation.  (Rules,  pp.  120,  116.> 


124  THE    SEMICOLON. 

Let  itie  following  paragraphs  be  punctuated  throughout,  in  consistency  with 

the  Rule  and   Remarks  (pp.  120-21),  and  with,  preceding'  portions  of  the 

work:  — 

Wherever  on  this  earth  an  understanding  is  active  to  know  and 
serve  the  truth  whei'ever  a  heart  beats  with  kind  and  pure  and  gene 
rous  affections  wherever  a  home  spreads  its  sheltering  wing  over 
husband  and  wife  and  parent  and  child  —  there  under  every  diver 
sity  of  outward  circumstance  the  true  worth  and  dignity  and  peace 
of  man's  soul  are  within  reach  of  all. 

In  the  light  of  beauty  that  floats  over  the  changing  aspects  of  the 
material  universe  in  the  grand  interpreting  thought  which  pervades 
ihe  broken  story  of  the  ages  and  translates  it  into  coherency  in  the 
spirit  which  comes  to  you  from  the  smiles  of  gladness  and  the  tears 
of  sorrow  and  softens  your  heart  in  genial  sympathy  with  human 
weal  and  human  woe  in  the  interchange  of  ideas  which  kindles 
enthusiasm  and  draws  a  higher  meaning  and  purpose  out  of  life  — 
acknowledge  realities  which  transcend  the  limits  of  sense  own  a 
spiritual  world  whose  mysteries  encompass  you  on  every  side  by 
whose  laws  you  are  bound  and  in  whose  issues  of  endless  unfolding 
you  are  yourself  perhaps  destined  to  be  involved. 

Those  who  have  shone  in  all  ages  as  the  lights  of  the  world  the 
most  celebrated  names  that  are  recorded  in  the  annals  of  fame 
legislators  the  founders  of  states  and  the  fathers  of  their  country 
on  whom  succeeding  ages  have  looked  back  with  filial  reverence 
patriots  the  guardians  of  the  laws  who  have  stemmed  the  torrent  of 
corruption  in  every  age  heroes  the  saviours  of  their  country  who 
have  returned  victorious  from  the  field  of  battle  or  more  than  victo 
nous  who  have  died  for  their  country  philosophers  who  have  opened 
the  book  of  nature  and  explained  the  wonders  of  almighty  power 
bards  who  have  sung  the  praises  of  virtue  and  of  virtuous  men 
whose  strains  carry  them  down  to  immortality  —  with  a  few  excep 
tions  have  been  uniformly  on  the  side  of  goodness  and  have  been  aa 
distinguished  in  the  temple  of  fame.  It  was  one  of  the  maxims 
which  governed  their  lives  that  there  is  nothing  in  nature  which  can 
compensate  wickedness  that  although  the  rewards  and  punishments 
which  influence  illiberal  and  ungenerous  minds  were  set  aside  that 
although  the  thunders  of  the  Almighty  were  hushed  and  the  gates 
of  paradise  were  open  no  more  they  would  follow  religion  and  virtue 
for  their  own  sake  and  co-operate  with  eternal  Providence  in  per 
petual  endeavors  to  favor  the  good  to  depress  the  bad  and  to 
promote  the  happiness  of  the  whole  creation. 


SENTENCES  SLIGHTLY  CONNECTED.      125 

RULE     IV. 
Short  Sentences  slightly  Connected. 

When  several  short  sentences  follow  one  another, 
slightly  connected  in  sense  or  in  construction,  they 
should  be  separated  by  a  semicolon. 

EXAMPLES. 

1.  Stones  grow ;  vegetables  grow  and  live ;  animals  grow,  live,  and  feel. 

2.  Every  thing  grows  old ;  every  thing  passes  away ;  every  thing  disappears. 

3.  She  presses  her  child  to  her  heart ;  she  drowns  it  in  her  tears ;  her  fancy 

catches  more  than  an  angel's  tongue  could  describe. 

It  K  M  A  K  K  8. 

o.  Without  instituting  any  comparison  between  the  merits  of  a 
Concise  and  a  diffuse  style  of  composition,  —  which,  indeed,  is  out  of 
our  province,  —  we  may  observe,  that  a  printed  page,  when  crowded 
with  short  sentences,  and  having,  in  consequence,  a  great  number 
of  capitals  and  large  spaces,  is  offensive  to  the  eye.  As  a  matter  of 
taste,  therefore,  as  well  as  of  propriety,  it  is  recommended,  that, 
wherever  a  number  of  short  successive  sentences  are  evidently 
allied  to  one  another  in  thought,  expression,  or  construction,  as  in 
the  examples  under  the  rule,  semicolons  be  substituted  for  full 
points. 

b.  In  poetry  very  often  occur  short  sentences  which  could  not 
be  separated  by  a  full  point,  without  destroying  the  connection 
which  subsists  between  them ;  for,  hampered  by  the  peculiar  struc 
ture  of  verse,  and  more  attentive  to  the  fineness  of  his  thoughts,  the 
harmony  of  his  numbers,  and  the  appropriateness  of  his  imagery, 
than  to  any  regular  train  of  ideas,  the  poet  is  frequently  obliged  to 
omit  the  connecting  and  disjunctive  particles,  so  useful  in  proso 
composition  in  knitting  together  parts  of  sentences  which  are  closely 
related  in  sense,  and  in  separating  those  which  are  distinct.  Espe 
cially  in  the  more  common  kinds  of  verse,  consisting  of  stanzas 
regularly  formed,  as  used  in  songs,  ballads,  and  hymns,  it  is  better 
to  point  the  sentences,  of  which  they  consist,  with  semicolons  or 
colons,  according  to  their  various  relations,  except  where  the  dis 
tinctions  in  thought  and  expression  are  prominent;  for,  in  all  such 
cases,  periods  must  be  used. 


126  THE    SEMICOLON. 

c.  When,  in  a  series  of  short  sentences,  each  particular  is  con 
structed  exactly  alike,  and  the  last  is  preceded  by  the  conjunction 
and,  the  separation  may  be  indicated  by  a  comma,  instead  of  a  semi 
colon,  agreeably  to  the  rule  on  page  98 ;  as,  "  The  pride  of  wealth  is 
contemptible,  the  pnde  of  learning  is  pitiable,  the  pride  of  dignity 
is  ridiculous,  and  the  pride  of  bigotry  is  insupportable." 


ORAL   EXEKCISE. 

Wliat  is  tfie  reason  for  tlie  insertion  of  semicolons  m  these  sentences  ?  — 
The  wind  and  rain  are  over;  calm  is  the  noon  of  day;  the  clouds 
are  divided  in  heaven ;  over  the  green  hill  flies  the  inconstant  sun. 

The  old  men  sit  at  their  doors;  the  gossip  leans  over  her  counter; 
the  children  shout  and  frolic  in  the  streets. 

There  is  good  for  the  good;  there  is  virtue  for  tiie  faithful;  there 
IB  victory  for  the  valiant;  there  is  spirituality  for  the  spiritual. 

The  evidences  of  religion  have  been  collected;  its  doctrines  have 
been  elucidated;  the  attacks  of  its  enemies  have  been  repelled;  the 
morals  of  its  professors,  upon  the  whole,  have  been  purified. 

When  a  writer  reasons,  we  look  only  for  perspicuity;  when  ho 
describes,  we  expect  embellishment ;  when  he  decides  or  relates,  we 
desire  plainness  and  simplicity. 

The  Christian  orator  speaks  the  truth  plainly  to  his  hearers;  he 
awakens  them;  he  shows  them  their  impending  danger ;  he  excites 
them  to  action. 

The  temples  are  profaned;  the  soldier's  curse  resounds  hi  the 
house  of  God;  the  marble  pavement  is  trampled  by  iron  hoofs; 
horses  neigh  beside  the  altar. 

The  epic  poem  recites  the  exploits  of  a  hero;  tragedy  represents 
a  disastrous  event;  comedy  ridicules  the  vices  and  follies  of  man 
kind;  pastoral  poetry  describes  rural  life;  and  elegy  displays  the 
tender  emotions  of  the  heart. 

Full  many  a  gem  of  purest  ray  serene 
The  dark,  unfathomed  caves  of  ocean  bear; 
Full  many  a  flower  is  born  to  blush  unseen, 
And  waste  its  sweetness  on  the  desert  air. 

We  pay  no  homage  at  the  tornb  of  kings  to  sublime  our  feelings  ; 
we  trace  no  line  of  illustrious  ancestors  to  support  our  dignity ;  we 
recur  to  no  usages,  sanctioned  by  the  authority  of  the  great,  to 
protract  our  rejoicing.  lta>:  we  love  liberty;  we  glory  in  the  rights 
of  men ;  we  glory  in  independence. 


SENTENCES  SLIGHTLY  CONNECTED.      127 

EXERCISE   TO   BE   WRITTEN. 

Separate  these  short  sentences  by  means  of  semicolons,  in  accordance  with  the 
Rule  and  Remarks  (p.  125) :  — 

He  is  poor  perhaps  his  plans  have  been  defeated  he  finds  it  diffi 
cult  to  provide  for  the  exigencies  of  life  sickness  is  permitted  to 
invade  the  quiet  of  his  household  long  confinement  imprisons  his 
activity. 

When  we  read  a  classical  poet,  we  feel  as  if  we  had  entered  a 
marble  temple,  where  a  cool  silence  reigns  a  few  quiet  statues 
gleam  around  us,  pure  and  naked  a  few  short  inscriptions  tell  of  the 
deeds  of  heroes  all  is  cahn,  grand,  and  simple,  to  the  highest  per 
fection  of  art. 

There  is  a  pleasure  in  the  pathless  woods 

There  is  a  rapture  on  the  lonely  shore 

There  is  society,  where  none  intrudes, 

By  the  deep  sea,  and  music  in  its  roar. 

The  world  is  fair  around  thee  the  bright  and  blessed  sun  shinetli 
on  thee  the  green  and  flowery  fields  spread  far,  and  cheer  thine  eye, 
and  invite  thy  footstep  the  groves  are  full  of  melody  ten  thousand 
creatures  range  freely  through  all  the  paths  of  nature:  but  thou  art 
not  satisfied  as  they  are. 

Genius,  mental  power,  has  surrounded  your  homes  with  comfort 
it  has  given  you  the  command  of  the  blind  forces  of  matter  it  has 
exalted  and  consecrated  your  affections  it  has  brought  God's  immea 
surable  universe  nearer  to  your  hearts  and  imaginations  it  has  made 
flowers  of  paradise  spring  up  even  in  poor  men's  gardens. 

It  is  pleasant  to  be  virtuous  and  good,  because  that  is  to  excel 
many  others  it  is  pleasant  to  grow  better,  because  that  is  to  excel  our 
selves  it  is  pleasant  to  mortify  and  subdue  our  lusts,  because  that 
is  victory  it  is  pleasant  to  command  our  appetites  and  passions, 
and  to  keep  them  in  due  order  within  the  bounds  of  reason  and 
religion,  because  that  is  empire. 

Saints  have  established  our  religion  by  their  lives  martyrs  have 
confirmed  it  by  their  deaths  hypocrites  have  added  strength  to  it 
by  their  dissimulation  tyrants  have  purified  it  by  their  persecutions 
infidels  have  corroborated  it  by  their  opposition  the  arrows  of  its 
enemies  have  served  for  its  protection  the  resistance  which  it  has 
met  with  from  the  combined  wit  and  genius  and  malice  of  mankind 
have  brought  forth  those  illustrious  and  immortal  defences  which 
establish  its  truth  upon  the  basis  of  demonstration. 


128 


THE    SEMICOLON. 


RULE    V. 
Lists  of  Words,  Phrases,  and  Numbers. 

A  semicolon  is  put  before  as,  viz.,  to  wit,  namely, 
i.  e.,  or  that  is,  when  they  precede  an  example  or  a 
specification  of  particulars,  or  subjects  enumerated; 
and  also  between  these  particulars,  when  they  consist 
each  of  a  disjunct  pair  of  words,  or  of  a  single  word  or 
phrase  but  slightly  connected  with  the  others. 

EXAMPLES. 

1.  Many  words  are  differently  spelled  in  English ;  as,  "  Inquire,  enquire;  jail, 

gaol;  sceptic,  skeptic." 

2.  To  Greece  we  are  indebted  for  the  three  principal  orders  of  architecture; 

namely,  the  Doric,  the  Ionic,  and  the  Corinthian. 

8.  De  Quincey's  Philosophical  Writers,  2  vols.     Vol.  1.  Hamilton ;  Mackin 
tosh;  Kant;  Herder;  Richter;  Lessing.    Vol.2.  Bentley;  Parr. 

REMARK. 

When  ag,  namely,  that  is,  &c.,  with  the  terms  after  them,  are  used 
parenthetically,  they  should  be  preceded  only  by  a  comma;  as, 
"  The  word  •  reck,'  that  is,  care,  denotes  a  stretching  of  the  mind." 
~  "  Of  the  three  cardinal  virtues,  namely,  faith,  hope,  and  charity 
the  greatest  is  charity."  —  See  pp.  64,  72. 

ORAL   EXERCISE. 
Say  why  semicolons  are  used  in  the  following  sentences »  — 

The  inseparable  preposition  pre  is  derived  from  the  Latin  prtt> ; 
as  in  "  prefix,  prejudice,  predetermine." 

Some  men  distinguish  the  period  of  the  world  into  four  ages;  viz., 
the  golden  age,  the  silver  age,  the  brazen  age,  and  the  iron  age. 

Logicians  say  that  the  operations  of  the  mind  are  three;  namely, 
1.  Simple  apprehension ;  2.  Judgment;  3.  Discourse,  or  reasoning. 

Our  duties  to  individuals  are  classed  under  four  heads;  viz.,  as 
arising  from  affinity;  friendship;  benefits  received;  contract. 

Find  the  increase  in  the  population  from  1790  to  1800;  to  1810; 
1820;  1830;  1840;  1860;  from  1800  to  1810;  1810  to  1850. 


SECT.  in.  —  THE   COLON. 


The  COLON  [  :  ]  is  used  in  a  sentence  between 
parts  less  connected  than  those  which  axe  divided  by  a 
semicolon,  but  not  so  independent  as  separate,  distinct 
sentences. 

REMARKS. 

a.  It  is  to  be  regretted  that  some  grammarians  have  expressed  a 
wish  to  discard  the  use  of  the  colon,  and  that  others  have  ventured 
even  to  expel  it  from  their  systems  of  punctuation.  But,  though  in 
former  times  it  was  common  to  employ  this  point  where  the  semi 
colon  or  the  period  might  have  been  more  serviceable,  there  are  in 
composition  well-ascertained  cases  in  which  the  insertion  of  the 
colon  tends  to  bring  out  the  idea  of  a  writer  with  greater  facility. 
The  truth  of  this  remark  may  be  tested  by  a  comparison  of  the  sen 
tences  which  will  now  be  exhibited  to  illustrate  the  proper  use  of  the 
colon,  with  those  which  have  been  cited  in  pp.  113-28  in  exempli 
fication  of  the  semicolon,  and  with  others,  of  a  different  character, 
requiring  the  period,  which  will  be  treated  of  in  the  next  section. 

6.  On  the  other  hand,  some  writers  are  accustomed  to  insert 
colons  between  clauses  or  phrases,  where,  both  from  the  construction 
and  the  sense,  semicolons  should  be  used.  Thus,  in  a  work  recently 
published,  which,  though  remarkable  for  the  excellence  of  its  thoughts 
and  the  beauty  of  its  style,  is  very  inaccurately  punctuated,  the 
larger  portions  of  the  following  passages  are  separated  by  the  colon, 
instead  of  the  semicolon :  "  There  are  sorrows  that  affect  a  more 
private  sphere  of  action:  and  these,  too,  have  their  appropriate 
compensations."  — "  We  must  not  violate  the  first  principles  of 
eternal  reason :  we  must  not  disregard  those  instinctive  promptings 
of  our  spiritual  nature  which  are  as  much  fundamental  realities  of 
our  being,  and  as  essential  conditions  of  all  truth,  as  the  principles 
of  reason  itself:  and,  in  our  earnest  efforts  to  find  out  God  and 
understand  his  ways,  we  must  admit  no  view  inconsistent  with  the 
highest  notion  that  we  can  form  of  a  perfect  Spirit." 


130  THE    COLON. 

RULE    I. 
Two  Clauses  not  joined  by  a  Conjunction. 

A  colon  should  be  put  after  a  clause  that  is  complete 
in  itself,  but  is  followed,  without  a  conjunction,  by  some 
remark,  inference,  or  illustration. 

EXAMPLES. 

1.  Virtue  is  too  lovely  and  useful  to  be  immured  in  a  cell :  the  world  ia  hor 

sphere  of  action. 

2.  Nor  was  the  religion  of  the  Greek  drama  a  mere  form :  it  was  full  of  truth, 

spirit,  and  power. 

8.  In  business  there  is  something  more  than  barter,  exchange,  price,  pay 
ment:  there  is  a  sacred  faith  of  man  in  man. 

REMARKS. 

a.  The  chief  difference  between  this  rule  and  that  on  page  113 
is,  that  the  semicolon  is  used  between  two  clauses  when  they  are 
united  by  a  conjunction,  and  the  colon  when  the  particle  is  omitted. 

Thus,  — 

Avoid  affectation ;  for  it  is  a  contemptible  weakness. 
Avoid  affectation :  it  is  a  contemptible  weakness. 

In  many  cases,  however,  the  insertion  of  the  connective  would 
injure  the  beauty  or  force  of  the  sentiment,  as  in  the  examples 
under  the  rule. 

b.  When  the  conjunction  is  omitted  between  clauses  having  only 
one  verb,  a  semicolon  is  preferable,  because,  by  the  ellipsis  of  the 
verb,  the  portions  of  the  sentence  are  dependent  in  their  construc 
tion,  and  more  closely  allied ;  as,  "  The  path  of  truth  is  a  plain  aud 
safe  path;  that  of  falsehood,  a  perplexing  maze."  —  See  page  104. 

c.  Two  clauses,  of  which  the  former  raises  the  expectation  of 
the  latter,  or  which  express  a  comparison  or  a  contrast  one  with  the 
ether,  but  without  the  use  of  a  connecting  word,  are  subject  to 
the  rule ;  as,  "  Anger  is  like  rain :  it  breaks  itself  upon  that  on  which 
it  falls."  — "  Cowards  die  many  times :  the  valiant  never  taste  of 
death." 

d.  Conformably  also  to  the  rule,  a  colon  is  put  after  the  adverbs 
yee,  no,  or  after  the  vocative  case  when  following  them,  if  they  are 
equivalent  to  a  sentence  answering  a  question  previously  asked  or 
implied;  as,  "  Will  he  pretend  to  say  that  this  is  an  offensive  war,— 


TWO    CLAUSES    NOT    CONJOINED.  131 

n  war  of  conquest?  Yes:  the  gentleman  has  dared  to  make  this 
assertion,  and  for  reasons  no  less  extraordinary  than  the  assertion 
itself."  — "  Can  Rolla's  words  add  vigor  to  the  virtuous  energies 
which  inspire  your  hearts?  No:  you  have  judged,  as  1  have,  the 
foulness  of  the  crafty  plea  by  which  these  bold  invaders  would 
delude  you."  These  words  are,  indeed,  often  found  with  a  mark  of 
exclamation  after  them;  but  they  are  merely  abbreviated,  though 
forcible,  modes  of  expressing  approval  or  denial,  and  have  the 
signification  of  the  sentence,  "  I  emphatically  answer  in  the  affirma 
tive,"  or  "in  the  negative." 

e.  When  placed  at  the  beginning  of  several  sentences,  to  all  of 
which  they  refer,  the  adverbial  words  again,  once  more,  in  conclusion, 
and  the  absolute  phrases  to  proceed,  to  conclude,  &c.,  which  have  the 
import  of  clauses,  may  be  distinguished  by  a  colon;  as,  "  To  sum  up 
ail:  My  friends,  the  time  is  short.  We  are  as  guests  in  a  strange 
land,  who  tarry  but  one  night.  We  wander  up  and  down,"  &c. 


ORAL   EXERCISES. 

After  reciting  the  Definition  of  the  colon,  mention  why  that  point  is  inserted  in 
the  following  sentences  t  — 

Harbor  no  malice  in  thy  heart:  it  will  be  a  viper  in  thy  bosom. 

Men's  evil  manners  live  in  brass :  their  virtues  we  write  in  water. 

Be  on  thy  guard  against  flattery :  it  is  an  insidious  poison. 

Do  not  insult  a  poor  man :  his  misery  entitles  him  to  pity. 

Never  flatter  the  people :  leave  that  to  such  as  mean  to  betray  them. 

Endeavor  to  excel :  much  may  be  accomplished  by  perseverance. 

Study  to  acquire  the  habit  of  thinking :  no  study  is  more  important. 

Reading  is  but  an  instrument:  education  is  to  teach  its  best  use. 

To  rule  one's  anger  is  well:  to  prevent  it  is  better. 

The  word  must  be  spoken:  we  want  more  justice,  and  less  charity. 

It  is  a  miserable  thing  to  live  in  suspense:  it  is  the  life  of  a  spider. 


There  is  no  mortal  truly  wise  and  restless  at  the  same  time: 
wisdom  is  the  repose  of  the  mind. 

A  human  heart  throbs  beneath  the  beggar's  gabardine:  it  is  no 
more  than  this  that  stirs  with  its  beating  the  prince's  mantle. 

The  present  life  is  not  wholly  prosaic,  precise,  tame,  and  finite : 
to  the  gifted  eye,  it  abounds  in  the  poetic. 

To  be  free,  to  have  the  mind  of  a  freeman,  is  not  to  consider 
liberty  as  a  privilege  which  a  few  only  are  to  enjoy,  and  which,  like 


13  THE    COLON. 

some  narrow  and  limited  good,  would  become  less  by  distribution :  it 
is  to  wish,  and  to  wish  ardently,  that  all  partook  of  the  blessing. 

Selfishness  is  the  poison  of  a  true  devotion:  love  is  its  only  fitting 
instrument. 

Birth  and  death  have  an  indissoluble  correlation:  they  presuppose 
each  other. 

It  is  unworthy  of  one  great  people  to  think  falsely  of  another :  it 
is  unjust,  and  therefore  unworthy. 

The  passionate  are  like  men  standing  on  their  heads:  they  see  all 
things  the  wrong  way. 

Pride  is  increased  by  ignorance :  those  assume  the  most  who  know 
the  least.  —  Do  not  despise  human  life :  it  is  the  gift  of  God. 

He  who  receives  a  good  turn  should  never  forget  it:  he  who  does 
one  should  never  remember  it. 

All  reasoning  is  retrospect:  it  consists  in  the  application  of  facts 
and  principles  previously  known. 

Real  goodness  does  not  attach  itself  merely  to  life:  it  points  to 
another  world. 

Laziness  grows  on  people :  it  begins  in  cobwebs,  and  ends  in  iron 
chains.  —  The  prodigal  robs  his  heir :  the  miser  robs  himself. 

Nothing  is  denied  to  well-directed  labor:  nothing  is  ever  to  be 
attained  without  it. 

The  silence  of  nature  is  more  impressive,  would  we  understand  it, 
than  any  speech  could  be:  it  expresses  what  no  speech  can  utter. 

Good  temper  is  like  a  sunny  day:  it  sheds  a  brightness  over  every 
thing.  —  Insist  on  yourself:  never  imitate. 

Satire  should  not  be  like  a  saw,  but  a  sword:  it  should  cut,  and 
not  mangle. 

The  philosophies  of  antiquity  addressed  themselves  to  the  intel 
lect:  the  simple  words  of  Jesus  lay  hold  of  the  heart. 

The  actions  of  men  are  like  the  index  of  a  book :  they  point  out 
what  is  most  remarkable  in  them. 

Character  is  like  stock  in  trade :  the  more  of  it  a  man  possesses, 
the  greater  his  facilities  for  making  additions  to  it. 

Men  are  often  warned  against  old  prejudices:  I  would  rather  warn 
them  against  new  conceits. 

The  greatness  of  a  gift  cannot  be  determined  by  its  absolute 
amount:  it  can  be  truly  ascertained  only  by  a  moral  standard. 

Music  resembles  poetry :  in  each 

Are  numerous  graces  which  no  methods  teach, 

And  which  a  master-hand  alone  can  reach. 


TWO    CLAUSES    NOT    CONJOINED.  133 


EXERCISE   TO   BE   WRITTEN. 

Let  colons  be  inserted  between  the  clauses  of  these  sentences,  in  accordance  with 
the  Ruin  or  the  Remarks  (pp.  130-31):  — 

For  the  training  of  goodness,  the  ancient  reliance  was  on  the  right 
discipline  of  habit  and  affection  the  modern  is  rather  on  illumination 
of  understanding. 

But  no  the  Union  cannot  be  dissolved  its  fortunes  are  too  brilliant 
to  be  marred;  its  destinies,  too  powerful  to  be  resisted.  (Rule,  and 
Remarks  rf,  6.) 

There  is  a  true  eloquence,  which  you  cannot  too  much  honor  it 
calls  into  vigorous  exercise  both  the  understanding  and  the  heart  of 
the  hearer. 

As  the  pupil  is  often  obliged  to  bend  all  his  faculties  to  the  task 
before  him,  and  tears  sometimes  fall  on  the  page  he  is  studying;  so 
it  is  in  the  school  of  God's  providence  there  are  hard  lessons  in  it. 

This  is  certain  nothing  can  be  done  without  a  recurrence,  before 
every  thing  else,  to  strict  justice  in  all  the  departments  of  human 
intercourse. 

Strive  to  be  a  simple,  honest,  faithful  man  whatever  hidden  talent 
you  possess  will  then  come  forth  in  its  genuineness,  and  exert  all  its 
power.  —  Proceed  I  am  all  attention. 

Are  these  to  be  conquered  by  all  Europe  united?  No,  sir  no 
united  nation  can  be,  that  has  the  spirit  to  resolve  not  to  be  con 
quered.  (Remarkd) 

The  prophet  gives  the  incentives  to  action  the  philosopher  supplies 
matter  for  reflection.  One  recurs  to  the  heart  and  the  conscience 
as  his  medium  of  influence  the  other  addresses  himself  to  pure 
intellect. 

It  is  with  narrow-souled  people  as  with  narrow-necked  bottles 
the  less  they  have  in  them,  the  more  noise  they  make  in  pouring  it 
out.  —  A  little  praise  is  good  for  a  shy  temper  it  teaches  it  to  rely 
on  the  kindness  of  others. 

As  the  fire-fly  only  shines  when  on  the  wing,  so  it  is  with  the 
human  mind  when  at  rest,  it  darkens.  —  Cotemporaries  appreciate 
the  man,  rather  than  his  merit  posterity  will  regard  the  merit,  rather 
than  the  man. 

I  care  not.  Fortune,  what  you  me  deny 
You  cannot  rob  me  of  free  Nature's  grace ; 
You  cannot  shut  the  windows  of  the  sky, 
Through  which  Aurora  shows  her  brightening  lace. 


134  THE    COLON. 

RULE    II. 

Conjoined  Members  of  Sentences. 

When  a  sentence  consists  of  two  members  which  are 
united  by  a  conjunction  or  an  adverb,  and  either  of 
them  is  divisible  into  clauses  separated  by  semicolon?, 
a  colon  should  be  used  before  the  connecting  word. 

EXAMPLES. 

1.  As  we  perceive  the  shadow  to  have  moved  along  the  dial,  but  did  not 
see  it  moving ;  and  it  appears  that  the  grass  has  grown,  though  nobody  ever 
saw  it  grow :  so  the  advances  we  make  in  knowledge,  as  they  consist  of  such 
minute  steps,  are  perceivable  only  by  the  distance. 

2.  Without  the  capacity  of  suffering,  we  might  have  been  what  the  world, 
in  its  common  language,  terms  happy;  the  passive  subjects  of  a  series  of 
agreeable  sensations:  but  we  could  not  have  had  the  delights  of  conscience; 
we  could  not  have  felt  what  it  is  to  be  magnanimous,  to  have  the  toil  and  the 
combat  and  the  victory. 

REMARKS. 

a.  These  sentences  are  obviously  divisible  each  into  two  portions. 
But,  as  they  are  susceptible  of  being  subdivided  into  smaller  parts, 
some  of  which  should  be  separated  by  the  semicolon,  according  to 
the  rule  on  page  116;  so,  by  reason  of  the  principle  that  a  remoter 
connection  requires  a  point  indicating  a  greater  separation,  the 
colon  is  introduced  between  the  members ;  namely,  before  the  con 
necting  words  "  so  "  and  "  but." 

b.  In  a  long  sentence,  crowded  with  distinct  clauses,  of  which 
several  are  united  by  conjunctions,  it  is  better  to  insert  a  period  than 
a  colon  between  the  two  members,  or  largest  portions;  as  in  the 
following  passage  from  Sir  Humphrey  Davy:  "  I  envy  no  quality  of 
mind  or  intellect  in  others,  be  it  genius,  power,  wit,  or  fancy;  but, 
if  I  could  choose  what  would  be  most  delightful,  and  I  believe  most 
useful,  to  me,  I  should  prefer  a  firm  religious  belief  to  every  other 
blessing.    For  it  makes  life  a  discipline  of  goodness;  creates  new 
hopes  when  all  earthly  hopes  vanish ;  and  throws  over  the  decay,  the 
destruction,  of  existence,  the  most  gorgeous  of  all  lights;  awakens 
life  even  in  death,  and  from  corruption  and  decay  calls  up  beauty 
and  divinity ;  makes  an  instrument  of  fortune,  and  shame  the  ladder 
of  ascent  to  Paradise;  and,  far  above  all  combinations  of  earthly 


CONJOINED    MEMBERS.  135 

Lopes,  calls  np  the  most  delightful  visions  of  palms  and  amaranths, 
the  gardens  of  the  blest,  the  security  of  everlasting  joys,  where  the 
sensualist  and  the  sceptic  view  only  gloom,  decay,  annihilation,  and 
despair." 

c.  The  mode  of  punctuation  recommended  in  the  last  remark  is 
worthy  of  being  adopted  in  the  generality  of  the  long  passages,  whose 
parts  are  joined  by  connecting  or  disjunctive  words,  which  sometimes 
appear  in  the  writings  of  the  present  day.  But  in  the  compositions 
of  the  old  English  writers,  which,  with  much  excellence  of  matter, 
are  usually  characterized  more  by  unwieldiness  than  refinement  of 
style,  sentences  often  occur,  whose  members  are  united  either  by 
a  relative  pronoun,  which  is  sometimes  preceded  by  a  preposition, 
or  by  an  adverb  or  participle  equivalent  to  the  pronoun.  In  such 
cases,  it  is  seldom  that  the  members,  however  lengthened,  can  be 
separated  by  a  period,  without  injuring  the  texture  of  the  parts. 
However  painful,  therefore,  it  may  be  to  the  eye  of  the  reader  to 
fall  on  a  page  unrelieved  by  periods  and  corresponding  breaks,  the 
editor  or  the  printer  of  a  work  of  that  kind  should  conform  his 
punctuation  to  the  nature  of  the  composition ;  never  deviating  from 
the  original  by  substituting  a  full  point  for  the  semicolon  or  the 
colon,  unless  where  the  character  of  the  sentiments  or  the  form  of 
expressing  them  obviously  admits  of  such  a  separation.  Thus,  the 
colon  should  be  preserved  between  the  members,  or  larger  parts,  of 
the  following  sentences;  the  first  being  taken  from  Dean  Swift, 
and  the  second  from  an  earlier  writer,  George  Sandys:  "I  swore 
ami  subscribed  to  these  articles  with  cheerfulness  and  content, 
although  some  of  them  were  not  so  honorable  as  I  could  have 
wished;  which  proceeded  wholly  from  the  malice  of  Skyresh  Bol- 
golam,  the  high  admiral:  whereupon  my  chains  were  immediately 
unlocked,  and  I  was  at  full  liberty."  —  "  The  parts  I  speak  of  are 
the  most  renowned  countries  and  kingdoms :  once  the  seats  of  most 
glorious  and  triumphant  empires,  the  theatres  of  valor  and  heroical 
actions,  the  soils  enriched  with  all  earthly  felicities;  the  places 
where  Nature  hath  produced  her  wonderful  works ;  where  arts  and 
sciences  have  been  invented  and  perfected ;  where  wisdom,  virtue, 
policy,  and  civility  have  been  planted,  —  have  flourished;  .  .  .  where 
the  Son  of  God  honored  the  earth  with  his  beautiful  steps,  wrought 
the  works  of  our  redemption,  triumphed  over  death,  and  ascended 
into  glory:  which  countries,  once  so  glorious  and  famous  for  their 
happy  estate,  are  now,  through  vice  and  ingratitude,  become  the 
most  deplored  spectacles  of  extreme  misery;  the  wild  beast?  of 


136  THE    COLON. 

mankind  having  broken  in  upon  them,  and  rooted  out  all  civility,  and 
the  pride  of  a  stern  and  barbarous  tyrant  possessing  the  thrones  of 
ancient  and  just  dominion." 

ORAL   EXERCISE. 

Why  are  colons  inserted  between  the  members  of  these  sentences  I  — 
Every  one  must,  of  course,  think  his  own  opinions  right;  for,  if 
he  thought  them  wrong,  they  would  no  longer  be  his  opinions :  but 
there  is  a  wide  difference  between  regarding  ourselves  as  infallible, 
and  being  firmly  convinced  of  the  trutn  of  our  creed. 

He  sunk  to  repose  where  the  red  heaths  are  blended ; 
One  dream  of  his  childhood  his  fancy  passed  o'er : 
But  his  battles  are  fought,  and  his  march  it  is  ended; 
The  sound  of  the  bagpipe  shall  wake  him  no  more. 
How  many  things  are  there  which  a  man  cannot,  with  any  face 
or  comeliness,  say  or  do  himself !     A  man  can  scarce  allege  his  own 
merits  with  modesty,  much  less  extol  them;  a  man  cannot  some 
times  brook  to  supplicate  or  beg;  and  a  number  of  the  like:  but  all 
these  tilings  are  graceful  in  a  friend's  mouth,  which  are  blushing  in 
a  man's  own. 

When  once  our  labor  has  begun,  the  comfort  that  enables  us  to 
endure  it  is  the  prospect  of  its  end :  for  though,  in  every  long  work, 
there  are  some  joyous  intervals  of  self-applause,  when  the  attention 
is  recreated  by  unexpected  facility,  and  the  imagination  soothed  by 
incidental  excellences  not  comprised  in  the  first  plan;  yet  the  toil 
with  which  performance  struggles  after  idea  is  so  irksome  and 
disgusting,  and  so  frequent  is  the  necessity  of  resting  below  that 
perfection  which  we  imagined  within  our  reach,  that  seldom  any 
man  obtains  more  from  his  endeavors  than  a  painful  conviction  of 
his  defects,  and  a  continual  resuscitation  of  desires  which  he  feola 
himself  unable  to  gratify. 

Patriots  have  toiled,  and  in  their  country's  cause 
Bled  nobly ;  and  their  deeds,  as  they  deserve, 
Receive  proud  recompense.     We  give  in  charge 
Their  names  to  the  sweet  lyre.     The  historic  Muse, 
Proud  of  the  treasure,  marches  with  it  down 
To  latest  times ;  and  Sculpture,  in  her  turn, 
Gives  bond  in  stone  and  ever-during  brass. 
To  guard  them,  and  to  immortalize  her  trust : 
But  fairer  wreaths  are  due,  though  never  paid, 
To  those  who,  posted  at  the  shriut;  of  truth, 
Have  fal'cn  iu  her  defence. 


CONJOINED    MEMBERS.  137 

EXERCISE   TO    BE   WRITTEN. 

hsert  both  the  semicolon  and  the  colon  wherever  required  in  these  sentences  i  — 

The  republic  may  perish  the  wide  arch  of  our  ranged  union  may 
fall  star  by  star  its  glories  may  expire  stone  after  stone  its  columns 
and  its  Capitol  may  moulder  and  crumble  all  other  names  which 
adorn  its  annals  may  be  forgotten  but  as  long  as  human  hearts 
shall  anywhere  pant,  or  human  tongues  shall  anywhere  plead,  for 
a  true,  rational,  constitutional  liberty,  those  hearts  shall  enshrine 
the  memory,  and  those  tongues  shall  prolong  the  fame,  of  George 
Washington. 

We  are  not  merely  to  transmit  the  world  as  we  receive  it  to 
teach,  in  a  stationary  repetition,  the  arts  which  we  have  received 
as  the  dove  builds,  this  year,  just  such  a  nest  as  was  built  by  the 
dove  that  went  out  from  the  ark,  when  the  waters  had  abated  but 
we  are  to  apply  the  innumerable  discoveries,  inventions,  and  im 
provements  which  have  been  successively  made  in  the  world, — 
and  never  more  than  of  late  years,  —  and  combine  and  elaborate 
them  into  one  grand  system  of  condensed  efficacy  and  quickened 
vitality,  in  forming  and  bringing  forward  our  successors. 

We  may  abound  in  meetings  and  movements  enthusiastic  gather 
ings  in  field  or  forest  iuay  kindle  all  minds  with  a  common  sentiment 
great  revivals  may  bear  away  thousands  on  a  torrent  of  sympathy 
but  it  is  all  in  vain,  if  men  do  not  retire  from  the  tumult  to  the  silent 
culture  of  every  right  disposition  and  the  quiet  practice  of  every 
duty  in  vain,  unless  they  patiently  engrave  the  commandments  on 
inward  tables,  unless  they  hear  a  stiH  voice  in  the  soul,  and  retain  a 
steady  warmth  there,  when  the  noise  has  ceased  and  the  flames  have 
died  away,  as  on  the  ancient  mount  of  revelation. 

As  water,  whether  it  be  the  dew  of  heaven  or  the  springs  of  the 
earth,  doth  scatter  and  lose  itself  in  the  ground,  except  it  be  col 
lected  into  some  receptacle,  where  it  may  by  union  comfort  and 
sustain  itself  and,  for  that  cause,  the  industry  of  man  hath  framed 
and  made  spring-heads,  conduits,  cisterns,  and  pools,  which  men 
have  accustomed  likewise  to  beautify  and  adorn  with  accomplish 
ments  of  magnificence  and  state,  as  well  as  of  use  and  necessity  so 
knowledge,  whether  it  descend  from  divine  inspiration  or  spring 
from  human  sense,  would  soon  perish,  and  vanish  to  oblivion,  if  it 
were  not  preserved  in  books,  traditions,  conferences,  and  places 
appointed,  as  universities,  colleges,  and  schools,  for  the  receipt  and 
comforting  the  same. 


138  THE    COLON. 

RULE     III. 

Quotations,  Remarks,  %c.t  formally  introduced. 
A   colon   should   be   placed   before   a   quotation,  a 
speech,  a  course  of  reasoning,  or  a  specification  of 
articles  or  subjects,  when  formally  introduced. 

EXAMPLES. 

1.  The  air  was  sweet  and  plaintive;  and  the  words,  literally  translated, 
were  these :  "  The  winds  roared  and  the  rains  fell,  when  the  poor  white  man, 
faint  and  weary,  came,  and  sat  under  our  tree." 

2.  Let  us  take,  in  illustration,  three  poets,  in  an  ascending  scale  of  intel 
lectual  precedence:   Keats,  the  representative  of  sensitiveness;    Byron,  of 
wilfulness ;  Shakspeare,  of  self-direction. 

REMARKS. 

a.  By  a  formal  introduction  to  a  quotation,  &c.,  is  meant  the  use 
of  any  phrase,  or  mode  of  expression,  drawing  the  attention  of  the 
reader  to  what  is  about  to  be  said. 

b.  Some  writers  put  a  dash  after  the  colon,  in  order  to  distinguish 
more  clearly  the  quotation  from  the  introductory  matter;  as,  "  The 
words,  literally  translated,  were  these :  — '  The  winds  roared,'  "  &c. 
But  this  seems  unnecessary,  unless  the  words  cited  begin  a  new 
paragraph,  which  usually  occurs  when  they  consist  of  more  than 
one  sentence. 

c.  When  a  quotation  is  short,  and  closely  connected  with  the 
words  preceding  it,  a  comma  between  the  parts  is  sufficient.  —  See 
page  108. 

d.  When  quotations  or  remarks  are  introduced  by  one  of  the 
connective  and  explanatory  words,  as,  namely,  that  is,  a  semicolon 
before  and  a  comma  after  it  are  preferable  to  the  colon;  as,  "  I  pur 
chased  the  following  articles;  namely,  tea,  sugar,  coffee,  and  raisins." 
The  reason  is,  that  the  connection  between  the  introductory  remark 
and  the  example,  or  the  articles  enumerated,  is  rendered  more  inti 
mate  by  the  use  of  the  explanatory  word.  —  See  page  128. 

e.  When  the  subjects  or  things  specified   consist  of  words  or 
phrases  in  apposition  with  a  preceding  noun,  or  with  that  which 
is  equivalent  to  it,  without  any  formal  introduction,  a  comma  and 
a  dash  are  used ;  as,  "  Energy  and  audacity  of  will  characterize  all 
ruling  men,  —  statesmen,  generals,  reformers,  orators." 


QUOTATIONS    FORMALLY    INTRODUCED.  139 

ORAL  EXERCISE. 

Stjy  why  colons  are  inserted  before  quotations,  £c.,  f»  the  folloicittff  sentences  i  — 

All  our  conduct  towards  men  should  be  influenced  by  this  im 
portant  precept:  "  Do  unto  others  as  ye  would  that  others  should  do 
unto  you." 

The  discourse  consisted  of  two  parts :  in  the  first  was  shown  the 
necessity  of  exercise;  iu  the  second,  the  advantages  that  would 
result  from  it. 

Speaking  of  party  zeal,  Pope  makes  this  judicious  remark : 
"  There  never  was  any  party,  faction,  sect,  or  cabal  whatsoever,  ui 
which  the  most  ignorant  were  not  the  most  violent;  for  a  bee  is  not 
a  busier  animal  than  a  blockhead." 

Be  our  plain  answer  this:  The  throne  we  honor  is  the  people's 
choice;  the  laws  we  reverence  are  our  brave  fathers'  legacy;  the 
faith  we  follow  teaches  us  to  live  in  bonds  of  charity  with  all  man 
kind,  and  die  with  hope  of  bliss  beyond  the  grave. 

The  philosopher  Malebranche  makes  this  curious  remark:  "It  is 
possible  that  some  creatures  may  think  half  an  hour  as  long  as  we 
do  a  thousand  years,  or  look  upon  that  space  of  duration  which  we 
call  a  minute  as  an  hour,  a  week,  a  month,  or  a  whole  age." 

It  is  only  necessary  to  make  the  experiment  to  find  two  things : 
one,  how  much  useful  knowledge  can  be  acquired  in  a  very  little 
time;  and  the  other,  how  much  time  can  be  spared,  by  good  man 
agement,  out  of  the  busiest  day. 

In  a  letter  from  Oxford  to  my  brother  Amos,  his  late  pupil,  for 
whom  John  Henderson  always  entertained  the  highest  esteem,  he 
thus  expresses  himself:  "  See  that  you  govern  your  passions.  What 
should  grieve  us  but  our  infirmities  ?  what  make  us  angry  but 
our  own  faults?  " 

The  words  with  which  Beattie  concludes  one  of  the  most  beautiful 
stanzas  of  his  principal  poem,  express  a  sentiment  with  which  it  is 
impossible  for  us  not  to  sympathize:  — 

*'  Oh!  how  canst  thou  renounce  the  boundless  store 
Of  charms  that  Nature  to  her  votary  yields? 
The  warbling  woodland,  the  resounding  shore, 
The  pomp  of  groves,  and  garniture  of  fields ; 
All  that  the  genial  ray  of  morning  gilds, 
And  all  that  echoes  to  the  song  of  even ; 
All  that  the  mountain's  sheltering  bosom  shields, 
And  all  the  dread  magnificence  of  heaven ;  — 
Oh!  how  canst  thou  renounce,  and  hope  to  be  forgiven?  " 


140  THE    COLON. 


EXERCISE   TO   BE   WRITTEN. 

Let  these  sentences  be  punctuated  agreeably  to  the  preceding  Rule  and 
Remarks  (p.  138):  — 

We  all  admire  this  sublime  passage  "  God  said  '  Let  there  be 
light;'  and  there  was  light."  (Rule,  and  Remark  c.) 

Now,  pray,  remember  this  Unmixed  carbonic  acid  gas,  when 
inhaled,  is  a  deadly  poison.  (Rule.) 

The  infinitive  mood  is  often  used  as  the  nominative  to  a  verb 
as,  "  To  err"  that  is,  error,  uis  human."  (Remark  d;  and  p.  128, 
Remark.) 

When  the  Roman  historians  describe  an  extraordinary  man,  this 
always  enters  into  his  character  as  an  essential  part  of  it  he  was  of 
incredible  industry  and  of  remarkable  application.  (Rule.) 

Ye  who  still  linger  on  the  threshold  of  life,  doubting  which  path 
to  choose,  remember  that,  when  years  shall  be  passed,  and  your  feet 
shall  stumble  on  the  dark  mountain,  you  will  cry  bitterly,  but  cry 
in  vain  "  0  youth  1  return:  oh!  give  me  back  my  early  days." 
(Remark  c.) 

Silvio  Pellico,  in  his  excellent  work  on  the  "  Duties  of  Men,"  thus 
remarks  "  To  love  our  country  with  truly  elevated  feeling,  we  ought 
to  begin  by  supplying  it,  in  ourselves,  with  citizens,  of  whom  that 
country  need  not  feel  ashamed."  (Rule.) 

Listening  intently  at  the  chimney,  which  communicated  with  that 
below,  I  distinctly  heard  the  husband  utter  these  words  "Well,  come 
now:  must  we  kill  them  both?"  To  which  the  woman  replied 
"  Yes; "  and  I  heard  nothing  more.  (Rule,  and  Remark  c.) 

When  the  love  of  fame  acts  upon  a  man  of  genius,  the  case 
appears  to  stand  thus  The  generality  of  the  world,  distinguished  by 
the  name  of  readers,  observe,  with  a  reluctance  not  unnatural,  a 
person  raising  himself  above  them.  All  men  have  some  desire  of 
fame,  and  fame  is  grounded  on  comparison.  (Rule.) 

One  of  the  best  writers  of  the  present  day,  but  perhaps  one  of 
the  least  known,  —  John  James  Tayler,  —  says,  when  comparing  the 
labors  of  the  philosopher  with  those  of  the  prophet  "  The  philosopher, 
on  the  other  side,  cautiously  accepting  the  material  transmitted  to 
him,  explores  it  with  the  keen  edge  of  his  analysis,  and  pares  oft 
from  the  vital  substance  of  truth  the  impure  accretions  which  it  has 
contracted  in  the  grosser  atmosphere  of  the  popular  belief,  and  which 
must  check  its  growth  and  expansion  when  placed  in  the  thin,  pure 
air  of  a  higher  region."  (Rule.) 


TERMS    IN    THE    RULE    OF    THREE.  141 

RULE    IV. 

The  Chanting  Service  in  the  Liturgy. 

A  mark  similar  to  a  colon  is  inserted  in  every  verse 
of  the  Psalms  used  in  the  "  Book  of  Common  Prayer," 
and  in  works  of  a  like  nature ;  as,  "  My  tongue  is  the 
pen  :  of  a  ready  writer." 

REMARK. 

This  mark  does  not  represent  a  grammatical  point,  but  is  inserted 
for  the  use  of  choirs,  where  the  Psalms,  and  other  portions  of  tho 
Liturgy,  are  chanted;  and  serves  only  to  divide  a  verse  into  two 
parts.  

RULE    V. 
Terms  in  the  Rule  of  Three. 

In  arithmetical  works,  the  terms  used  in  the  Rule  of 
Three  are  set  off  by  colons.  Thus,  the  expression, 
"As  111  Ibs.  is  to  $6.45,  so  is  37  Ibs.  to  $2.15,"  is  put 
in  the  form,  —  "  111  Ibs.  :  $6,45  :  :  37  Ibs.  :  $2.15." 

CONCLUDING  REMARKS. 

a.  Some  of  the  rules  on  the  proper  application  of  the  colon  and 
the  dash  ought  to  be  rejected  in  works  where  their  observance 
would  occasion  ambiguity;  as  in  books  of  arithmetic,  where  colons 
are  used  for  proportion,  and  where  the  dash  is  put  as  a  mark  for 
subtraction.     Should  these  marks  frequently  occur,  it  will  not  be 
improper  to  substitute  a  semicolon  where  the  construction  requires 
the  grammatical  colon  or  the  dash. 

b.  In  works  printed  prior  to  this  century,  the  colon  was  some 
times  used  to  denote  abbreviation ;  and,  even  at  the  present  day,  it 
is  occasionally  so  employed  in  writing.     This  mode  of  punctuation, 
however,  may  be  justly  regarded  as  erroneous;  the  period  being 
almost  universally  preferred  as  the  mark  denoting  the  contraction 
of  words. 


142 


SECT.  IV.  —  THE    PERIOD. 


The  PERIOD,  or  Full  Point  [  .  ],  serves  to  indicate 
the  end  of  a  sentence  which  is  assertive  in  its  nature, 
and  independent  of  any  following  sentence. 

RULE    I. 

Complete  and  Independent  Sentences. 

When  a  sentence  is  complete  in  itself,  and  is  neither 
connected  in  construction  with  what  follows,  nor  of  an 
interrogatory  or  exclamatory  nature,  its  termination  is 
marked  with  a  period. 

EXAMPLES. 

1.  Truth  is  the  basis  of  every  virtue.     It  is  the  voice  of  reason.     Let  its  pre 

cepts  be  religiously  obeyed.     Never  transgress  its  limits. 

2.  The  right  is  the  supreme  good,  and  includes  all  other  goods.    In  seeking 

and  adhering  to  it,  we  secure  our  true  and  only  happinesn. 

REMARKS. 

a.  For  the  mode  of  pointing  short  sentences  which  are  slightly- 
connected  with  each  other,  see  page  125. 

b.  A  full  point  is  admissible  between  two  parts  of  a  long  sentence, 
though  they  are  closely  connected  in  sense  by  a  particle,  when  either 
of  them  can  -be  divided  into  more  simple  parts,  separated  from  one 
another  by  a  semicolon  or  a  colon;  as  in  the  following  passage,  in 
which  the  writer  treats  of  Shakspeare :  "  Other  men  may  have  led, 
on  the  whole,  greater  and  more  impressive  lives  than  he ;  other  men, 
acting  on  their  fellows  through  the  same  medium  of  speech  that  he 
used,  may  have  expended  a  greater  power  of  thought,  and  achieved 
a  greater  intellectual  effect,  in  one  consistent  direction ;  other  men, 
too  (though  this  is  very  questionable),  may  have  contrived  to  issue 


INDEPENDENT  SENTENCES.          143 

tne  matter  which  they  did  address  to  the  world,  in  mo™  compact 
and  perfect  artistic  shapes.  But  no  man  that  ever  lived  said  such 
splendid  extempore  things  on  all  subjects  universally;  no  man  that 
ever  lived  had  the  faculty  of  pouring  out,  on  all  occasions,  such  a 
flood  of  the  richest  and  deepest  language." 

c.  When  the  two  larger  portions  of  a  continuous  passage  are  joined 
by  a  conjunction,  they  may  be  separated  by  a  period,  if  several  of  the 
minor  parts  are  united  to  each  other  also  by  conjunctions.  —  See 
p.  134,  Remark  b. 

d.  A  full  poiut  should  be  used  between  two  sentences,  joined  by 
a  conjunction,  though  their  parts  are  incapable  of  being  separated 
by  a  semicolon  or  a  colon,  if  they  do  not  depend  one  on  the  other 
in  construction,  and  are  not  directly  connected ;   as,  "  There  are 
thoughts  and  images  flashing  across  the  niiiid  in  its  highest  moods, 
to  which  we  give  the  name  of  inspiration.    But  whom  do  we  honor 
with  this  title  of  the  inspired  poet?  " 

e.  From  the  last  remark  and  example,  it  is  evident  that  the  kind 
of  point  used  depends  less  on  the  connecting  word  than  on  the 
construction  and  nature  of  the  sentences.     Accordingly,  we  find 
numerous  instances,  particularly  in  the  Bible,  of  not  only  sentences, 
but  paragraphs  and  chapters,  beginning  with  and,  and  other  con 
junctions  ;  as,  "  For  the  kingdom  of  heaven  is  like  unto  a  man  that 
is  a  householder,  who  went  out  early  in  the  morning  to  hire  laborers 
into  his  vineyard.    And,  when  he  had  agreed  with  the  laborers  for  a 
penny  a  day,  he  sent  them  into  his  vineyard.    And  he  went,"  &c. 

ORAL   EXERCISES. 

Mention  the  grammatical  use  of  the  period,  and  the  reason  for  inserting  that 
point  in  the  sentences  that  follow  :  — 

The  benefits  of  conversation  greatly  depend  on  the  previous 
attainments  of  those  who  are  supposed  either  to  communicate 
knowledge  or  to  receive  it.  If,  therefore,  instruction  be  neglacted, 
conversation  will  grow  trifling;  if  perverted,  dangerous. 

Knowledge  is  not  only  pleasant,  but  useful  and  honorable.  The 
liberal  student  will  therefore  endeavor  to  collect  ideas  on  subjects 
which  can  enrich  the  understanding.  Languages,  and  a  taste  for 
elegant  letters,  will  form  but  a  small  part  of  his  literary  objects.  He 
will  dedicate  n  great  portion  of  his  time  to  the  sciences  properly  so 
denominated.  He  will  search  for  knowledge,  not  only  in  books,  but 
in  the  exchange,  the  manufactory,  the  world  at  large.  From  these 


144  THE    PERIOD. 

various  sources,  he  will  collect  food  for  the  mind,  on  which  he  will 
afterwards  ruminate. 

There  lies  upon  the  other  side  of  the  wide  Atlantic  a  beauti 
ful  island,  famous  in  story  and  in  song.  Its  area  is  not  so  great  as 
that  of  the  State  of  Louisiana,  while  its  population  is  almost  half  that 
of  the  Union.  It  has  given  to  the  world  more  than  its  share  of 
genius  arid  of  greatness.  It  has  been  prolific  in  statesmen,  warriors,, 
and  poets.  Its  brave  and  generous  sons  have  fought  successfully  all 
battles  but  their  own.  In  wit  and  humor,  it  has  no  equal;  while  its 
harp,  like  its  history,  moves  to  tears  by  its  sweet  but  melancholy 
pathos. 

Be  servants  of  truth  and  duty,  each  in  his  vocation.  Be  sincere, 
pure  in  heart,  earnest,  enthusiastic.  A  virtuous  enthusiasm  is 
always  self-forgetful  and  noble.  It  is  the  only  inspiration  now 
vouchsafed  to  man.  Blend  humility  with  learning.  Ascend  above 
the  present  in  place  and  time.  Regard  fame  only  as  the  eternal  sha 
dow  of  excellence.  Bend  in  adoration  before  the  right.  Cultivate 
alike  the  wisdom  of  experience  and  the  wisdom  of  hope.  Mindful 
of  the  future,  do  not  neglect  the  past:  awed  by  the  majesty  of  anti 
quity,  turn  not  with  indifference  from  the  future. 

I  would  say  to  the  people,  You  cannot,  without  guilt  and  dis 
grace,  stop  where  you  are.  The  past  and  the  present  call  on  you  to 
advance.  Let  what  you  have  gained  be  an  impulse  to  something 
higher.  Your  nature  is  too  great  to  be  crushed.  You  were  not 
ereated  what  you  are,  merely  to  toil,  eat,  drink,  and  sleep,  like  the 
inferior  animals.  If  you  will,  you  can  rise.  No  power  in  society, 
no  hardship  in  your  condition,  can  depress  you,  keep  you  down,  in 
knowledge,  power,  virtue,  influence,  but  by  your  own  consent. 
Make  yourselves  worthy  of  your  free  institutions,  and  strengthen 
and  perpetuate  them  by  your  intelligence  and  your  virtues. 

This  world  is  full  of  beauty,  —  full  of  innocent  gladness.  Open 
your  inmost  sense  to  all  the  influences  of  what  is  brightest  and 
happiest  in  the  scenes  around  you.  Let  the  sp/rit  be  clear  and 
transparent,  to  receive  and  transmit  these  blessed  influences  of  the 
Creator's  love,  and  send  out  the  light  of  them  on  other  hearts.  Only 
a  pure  and  gentle  soul  can  feel  them.  Keep  yours  so  that  they  dc 
not  come  to  you  in  vain.  There  is  impiety  in  letting  all  this  beauty 
rise  and  set  on  us  daily  unfelt.  To  sympathize  with  the  loveliness 
which  blooms  and  sparkles  in  every  aspect  of  this  terrestrial  para 
dise  is  silent  praise,  —  that  worship  of  the  heart,  mDre  audible  to 
the  ear  of  God  than  the  chanted  litany  of  the  cathedral. 


INDEPENDENT  SENTENCES.          145 

In  accordance  with  the  Rule  and  the  Remarks  (pp.  142-3),  say  why  period*  are 
inserted  in  the  following'  passages :  — 

Legitimate  reasoning  is  impossible  without  severe  thinking;  and 
thinking  is  neither  an  easy  nor  an  amusing  employment.  The  reader 
who  would  follow  a  close  reasoner  to  the  summit  and  absolute  prin 
ciple  of  any  one  important  subject  has  chosen  a  chamois-hunter  for 
his  guide.  Our  guide  will,  indeed,  take  us  the  shortest  way,  will  save 
as  many  a  wearisome  and  perilous  wandering,  and  warn  us  of  many 
a  mock  road,  that  had  formerly  led  himself  to  the  brink  of  chasms 
and  precipices,  or  at  least  in  an  idle  circle  to  the  spot  from  whence 
he  started.  But  he  cannot  carry  us  on  his  shoulders :  we  must  strain 
our  own  sinews  as  he  has  strained  his,  and  make  firm  footing  on  the 
naked  rock  for  ourselves  by  the  blood  of  toil  from  our  own  feet. 

There  is  no  one,  of  ever  so  little  understanding  in  what  belongs 
to  a  human  constitution,  who  knows  not,  that  without  action,  mo 
tion,  and  employment,  the  body  languishes  and  is  oppressed;  its 
nourishment  runs  to  disease ;  the  sph-its,  employed  abroad,  help  to 
consume  the  parts  within;  and  nature,  as  it  were,  preys  upon  her 
self.  For  although  an  inclination  to  ease,  and  moderate  rest  from 
action,  be  as  natural  and  useful  to  us  as  the  inclination  we  have 
towards  sleep ;  yet  an  excessive  love  of  rest,  and  a  contracted  aver 
sion  to  employment,  must  be  a  disease  in  the  mind,  equal  to  that  of 
a  lethargy  in  the  body. 

This  calamity  is  peculiar  to  man.  The  inferior  tribes  know 
nothing  of  it.  They  obey  the  laws  of  their  life,  and  so  they  have 
no  dread  of  what  is  to  come.  The  lamb  gambols  alike  through  the 
green  pastures  or  to  the  place  of  slaughter.  Up  to  the  last  flutter 
of  her  wings,  the  bird  ceases  not  to  trill  her  matins  upon  the  air. 
But  the  only  immortal  being  upon  the  earth  lives  in  dread  of  death. 
The  only  being  to  whom  death  is  an  impossibility  fears  every  day 
that  it  will  come.  And  if  we  analyze  the  nature  of  this  fear,  and 
explore  the  cause  of  it,  we  shall  not  be  at  all  certain  that  it  will  not 
follow  the  mere  natural  man  into  a  future  life,  and  have  an  important 
part  in  its  retributions. 

When  we  look  at  different  races  of  annuals,  though  all  partake  of 
that  mysterious  property,  life ;  yet  what  an  immense  and  impassable 
distance  is  there  between  the  insect  and  the  lion !  They  have  no  bond 
of  union,  no  possibility  of  communication.  During  the  lapse  of  agea, 
the  animalcules  which  sport  in  the  sunbeams  a  summer's  day,  and 
then  perish,  have  made  no  approximation  to  the  king  of  the  forests. 
But  in  the  intellectual  woi'd  there  are  no  such  barriers.  All  minds  arc 
10 


146  THE    PERIOD. 

essentially  of  one  origin,  one  nature,  kindled  from  one  divine  flame; 
and  are  all  tending  to  one  centre,  one  happiness.  This  great  truth,  to 
us  the  greatest  of  truths,  which  lies  at  the  foundation  of  all  religion 
and  of  all  hope,  seems  to  me  not  only  sustained  by  proofs  which  satisfy 
the  reason,  but  to  be  one  of  the  deep  instincts  of  our  nature. 

In  whatever  way,  and  in  whatever  century,  the  Homeric  poems 
might  be  created  and  fashioned,  they  place  before  us  a  time  when 
the  heroic  age  was  on  the  decline,  or  had  perhaps  already  gone  by. 
For  there  are  two  different  worlds  which  both  exist  together  in  the 
compositions  of  Homer,  —  the  world  of  marvels  and  tradition,  which 
still,  however,  appears  to  be  near  and  lively  before  the  eyes  of  the 
poet;  and  the  living  circumstances  and  present  concerns  of  the  world, 
which  produced  the  poet  himself. 


EXERCISE   TO    HE    WRITTEN. 

'naert  periods  in  their  respective  places,  and  substitute  capitals  for  small  letters 
at  the  beginning  of  the  sentences ,  — 

The  character  of  Washington  is  among  tne  most  cherished  con 
templations  of  my  life  it  is  a  fixed  star  in  the  firmament  of  great 
names,  shining,  without  twinkling  or  obscuration,  with  clear,  steady, 
beneficent  light  it  is  associated  and  blended  with  all  our  reflections 
on  those  things  which  are  near  and  dear  to  us. 

Truly  good  books  are  more  than  mines  to  those  who  can  under 
stand  them  they  are  the  breathings  of  the  great  souls  of  past  times 
genius  is  not  embalmed  in  them,  as  is  sometimes  said,  but  lives  in 
them  perpetually  but  we  need  not  many  books  to  answer  the  great 
ends  of  reading  a  few  are  better  than  many;  and  a  little  time,  given 
to  a  faithful  study  of  the  few,  will  be  enough  to  quicken  thought  and 
enrich  the  mind. 

We  stand  on  the  threshold  of  a  new  age,  which  is  preparing  to 
recognize  new  influences  the  ancient  divinities  of  violence  and  wrong 
are  retreating  to  their  kindred  darkness  the  sun  of  our  moral  uni 
verse  is  entering  a  new  ecliptic,  no  loixger  deformed  by  images  of 
animal  rage,  but  beaming  with  the  mild  radiance  of  those  heavenly 
signs,  Faith,  Hope,  and  Charity  the  age  of  chivalry  has  gone :  an  age 
of  humanity  has  come  the  horse,  which  gave  the  name  to  the  first, 
now  yields  to  man  the  foremost  place  in  serving  him,  in  doing  him 
good,  hi  contributing  to  his  welfare  and  elevation,  there  are  fields  of 
bloodless  triumph  nobler  far  than  any  in  which  warriors  ever  con 
quered  here  are  spaces  of  labor  wide  as  the  world,  lofty  as  heaven. 


HEADINGS    AND    SUBHEADS.  147 

RULE     II. 
Headings,  Subheads,  Phrases  in  Titlepages*  <5fC. 

A  period  is  put  after  a  heading  or  a  subhead,  indi 
cating  the  kind  of  matter  treated  of;  after  any  term 
placed  over  a  column  of  contents  or  figure-work  ;  after 
the  address  of  a  person  or  of  persons,  as  used  in  epis 
tolary  and  other  writings ;  after  every  signature  to  a 
document ;  after  the  name  of  a  book  or  its  description, 
preceding  the  author's  name,  in  a  titlepage  ;  and  after 
any  word  or  phrase  used  in  imprints,  catalogues,  &c., 
when  it  is  not  intimately  related  to  what  follows. 
Thus:  — 

^  CONTENTS. 

CHAP.  I.  —  INTRODUCTION.  pag«. 

Sect.   I.  —  The  Importance  and  Uses  of  Correct  Punctuation     .     .    .    .      1 

Notes  illustrating  its  Value 18 

Sect.  II.  —  Plan  of  the  Work,  and  Definitions  of  the  Terms  used     ...    19 

Definitions  of  Sentences,  &c 20 

2.  To  Mr.  Solomon  Piper. 

Dear  Sir,  —  We  hereby  acknowledge  the  receipt  of  your  favor  of  the  26th 
Instant,  addressed  to  our  society,  in  which  you  are  pleased,  for  reasons 
assigned,  to  present  an  organ  to  be  placed  in  our  new  meeting-house  for  the 
purpose  of  aiding  in  public  worship.  Be  pleased,  dear  sir,  to  accept  the  thanks 
of  the  society. 

Very  gratefully  and  respectfully,  yours,  &c., 

JONATHAN  K.  SMITH 
ASA  H.  FISK. 

DOBIJ»,  ?eb.  28,  1868.  ASA   LLiLiLD. 


3.  The  First-class  Standard  Reader,  for  Public  and  Private  Schools.    By  Epes 

Sargent.     Boston :  Phillips,  Sampson,  and  Company.     1864. 
Mill  (John  Stuart).  A  System  of  Logic,  Ratiocinative  and  Inductive.  Third 

edition.    London,  1861. 

Christmas  with  the  Poets ;  a  Collection  of  Songs,  Carols,  and  Descriptive 
Verses,  relating  to  the  Festival  of  Christmas. 


148  THE    PERIOD. 


REMARKS. 

a.  No  point  should  be  attached  to  the  name  of  any  article  or 
subject  which  is  followed,  as  in  the  first  example,  by  leaders,  or 
several  points  serving  to  lead  the  eye  to  a  term  or  figure  put  at  the 
end  of  the  line,  and  completing  the  sense. 

b.  When  the  subjects  of  a  chapter  or  section,  specified  in  a  head 
ing  or  in  the  contents  or  index  of  a  book,  are  distinct,  they  should 
be  separated  by  a  period ;  but,  if  closely  connected  in  sense,  they  are 
more  appropriately  marked  by  a  minor  point,  according  to  the  degree 
of  connection  subsisting  between  them ;  as,  "  Chap.  II.    America.  — 
Discovery  and  Settlement:  Columbus,  Americus,  Cabot,  &c.     Con 
quest  of  Mexico:  Cortez,  Pizarro,  &c." 

c.  When  the  names  in  signatures  are  followed  each  by  an  explana 
tory  term,  the  full  point  should  be  placed  after  the  latter;  as, — 

JAMES  MARSHALL,  President  JOHN  THOMSON,  )      ^^^ 

TIMOTHY  TOMPKINS,  Treasurer.  WILLIAM  PAEK,  } 


RULE     III. 
Names,  Titles,  and  other  Words,  abbreviated. 

The  period  must  be  used  after  every  abbreviated 
word. 

EXAMPLES. 

1.  The  age  of  MSS.  ia,  in  some  instances,  known  by  dates  inserted  in  them. 

2.  Dr.  H.  Marsh,  F.R.S.,  &c.,  Bishop  of  Peterborough;  b.  1757,  d.  1839. 

8.  The  Plays  of  Wm.  Shakspeare  are  sometimes  printed  from  the  text  of  Qeo. 
Stevens,  Esq.,  and  Edw.  Malone,  Esq. 

REMARKS. 

a.  When  an  abbreviated  word  ends  a  sentence,  only  one  period  is 
used  to  show  the  omission  of  the  letters,  and  the  termination  of  the 
sentence ;  but  any  other  poiut  required  by  the  construction  should 
be  inserted  after  the  period,  as  exemplified  above  in  the  abbrevia 
tions  "  F.R.S.,  &c.,"  and  the  "Esq."  which  appears  after  the  name 
of  George  Stevens.  In  such  lists  of  words,  however,  as  contain 
many  abbreviations,  the  period  only  may  be  used,  if  no  obscurity, 
or  doubtfulness  of  meaning,  would  be  produced  by  the  omission  of 
the  grammatical  point.  —  See  p.  151,  Remark  c. 


WORDS    ABBREVIATED.  149 

6.  In  books  printed  at  Edinburgh,  the  period  is  omitted  after  an 
abbreviated  word  which  retains  the  last  letter;  as,  "  Dr  Combe;  Mr 
Buckingham."  But  this  does  not  seem  to  be  a  sufficient  reason  for 
deviating  from  general  usage. 

c.  Some  printers  use  the  apostrophe  to  indicate  an  ellipsis  of 
intermediate  letters  in  words  which  are  fully  pronounced ;  as,  "  Cha's ; 
W'm ,  "  — a  style  of  pointing  that  should  never  be  resorted  to,  except 
;n  abbreviations  of  long  and  unusual  words,  and  where  saving  of 
space  is  essential,  as  in  headings  to  columns  of  figure-work. 

d.  Words  derived  from  a  foreign  language,  and  introduced  into 
the  English,  may  be  written  or  printed  without  the  period,  when 
they  are  uniformly  used  as  contractions,  and  pronounced  accord 
ingly;  as, ;<  Two  per  cent  is  but  smaU  interest."    Here,  "  cent,"  the 
abbreviation  of  the  Latin  centum,  being  now  an  English  word,  and 
pronounced  as  such,  the  period  is  unnecessary. 

e.  Such  words  as  1st,  2dly,  12mo,  8vo,  8°,  are  not,  strictly  speak 
ing,  abbreviations ;  for  the  figures  represent  the  first  letters"  of  each 
word.    The  period,  therefore,  should  not  be  used,  unless  any  of  these 
terms  come  at  the  end  of  a  sentence.     When  several  subjects  are 
specified,  or  when  particular  days  of  a  month  or  various  sizes  of 
books  are  often  mentioned,  words  of  this  form  are  perhaps  unobjec 
tionable  ;  but,  in  the  usual  kinds  of  composition,  it  would  be  better  to 
write  them  in  full ;  as,  "  The  command  of  the  army  was  given  in  1796 
to  Napoleon  Bonaparte,  then  in  the  twenty-seventh  year  of  his  age." 

/.  When  the  letters  of  the  alphabet  (A,  B,  C;  a,  i,  c,  &c?)  are 
employed  as  significant  signs,  or  for  the  purpose  of  reference,  it  is 
better  to  point  them,  not  as  abbreviations,  but  as  ordinary  words, 
in  accordance  with  the  construction  of  the  sentences  in  which  they 
occur;  as,  "The  dominical  letters  for  1776  were  G,  F:  therefore 
the  first  Sunday  in  January  was  the  7th  -of  the  month.  Then,  A 
representing  the  7th  January,  D  would  represent  the  7th  February; 
D,  the  7th  March ;  G,  the  7th  April ;  B,  the  7th  May ;  E,  the  7th  June  ; 
and  G,  the  7th  July."  When  placed  at  the  beginning  of  a  line,  they 
are  treated  as  subcaptions  or  sideheads,  which,  agreeably  to  Rule 
IL,  p.  147,  require  to  be  followed  by  a  period,  and  which,  in  the  Italic 
form,  are  so  used  throughout  the  present  work. 

g.  Proper  names,  when  shortened  and  meant  so  to  be  pronounced, 
should  not,  except  at  the  end  of  a  sentence,  be  written  or  printed 
with  a  full  point;  as,  "  On  the  poet's  tombstone  were  inscribed  the 
words, '  0  rare  Ben  Jonson! '  " 

k.  Lists  of  abbreviated  words  will  be  given  in  Appendix,  No.  IV. 


150  THE    PERIOD. 

RULE     IV. 

Marks  or  Figures  used  instead  of  Words. 

When  either  marks  or  Arabic  figures  are  substituted 
for  words,  the  period  should  not  be  used,  except  at  the 
end  of  a  sentence  ;  but  the  full  point  is  inserted  before 
decimals,  and  between  pounds  and  shillings. 

EXAMPLES. 

1.  He  borrows  $5,000,  and  agrees  to  pay  interest  at  6  per  cent  per  annmn 

2.  As  an  illustration  of  our  remarks,  see  §  2,  f  10,  notes  *  and  f- 

3.  8  +  9  +  7X13  —  5  +  10X6  —  25X2-^5  +  21  =  174. 

4.  JE1. 10s.  6d.  sterling  is  equivalent  to  86.78,  United-States  money. 

REMARKS. 

a.  Marks  and  figures  are  considered  as  representative  signs,  not 
abbreviations.     Hence  the  propriety  of  the  rule. 

b.  When  figures  are  put  in  a  tabular  or  columnar  form,  periods 
are  not  inserted;  but,  when  they  occur  in  regularly  constructed 
sentences  or  in  dates  or  headings,  that  point  should  be  used  which 
would  be  adopted  if  they  were  written  in  words. 


RULE    V. 

Letters  used  for  Figures  or  Words. 

When  numerals  are  written  in  characters  of  the 
alphabet,  instead  of  words  or  Arabic  figures,  it  is  usual 
to  insert  periods  after  them  in  all  situations ;  and, 
when  employed  as  dates,  to  separate  by  periods  the 
portions  into  which  they  are  divided  when  audibly 
read. 

EXAMPLES. 

1.  In  proof  of  his  position,  the  learned  divine  referred  to  Gen.  ri.  12,  18. 

Ps.  Ixv.  2;  Ixxviii.  39.   Acts  ii.  17.  1  Cor.  1.  29. 

2.  In  the  titlepages  of  books  and  in  inscriptions,  dates  are  sometimes  put  in 

capitals,  instead  of  figures;  as,  M.DCCC.LV.  for  1856. 


LETTERS    FOR    FIGURES    OR    WORDS.  151 


REMARKS. 

a.  A  full  point  is,  in  the  first  example,  put  after  chapters  vi.,  Ixv. 
Ixxviii.,  ii.,  and  i.  ;and,  in  the  second,  after  M.,  DCCC.,  and  LV.,  — 
nut  as  being  equivalent  to  the  grammatical  period,  but  merely  be 
cause,  of  all  the  marks,  it  is  the  least  offensive  to  the  eye,  and  haa 
been  generally  employed  in  such  cases. 

b.  In  referring  to  the  chapters  of  the  Bible,  some  writers  use  the 
Arabic  figures;  as,  "Gen.  6.  12,  13,"  or  "6:  12,  13;"  putting  after 
them  a  colon  or  a  period.    But  the  mode  exhibited  in  the  first  exam 
ple  under  the  rule  is  supported  by  the  best  usage,  and  is,  we  think, 
much  preferable  in  its  more  clearly  distinguishing  the  chapters  from 
the  verses. 

c.  Bible  and  other  references  are  sometimes  made  by  the  insertion 
of  a  comma  after  the  period;  as,  "  Gen.,  vi.,  12,  13; "  "  Vol.  i.,  part 
iv.,  sect,  ii.,  §  3."     But,  though  this  mode  of  punctuation  is  more 
accurate  than  that  which  omits  the  comma,  it  is  less  simple ;  and, 
because  uncouth  in  its  appearance,  should  not  be  adopted,  unless 
as  in  Remark  a,  it  is  essential  to  a  clear  discerning  of  the  sense.  - 
See  p.  100,  second  portion  of  Remark .;'. 


ORAL   EXERCISE. 

Assign  the  reasons  given  in  the  four  preceding  Rules  and  the  Remarks  for  the 
punctuation  of  headings,  names  of  bouku,  abbreviations,  marks,  figures*  and 
numeral  capitals,  ay  they  occur  in  the  following1  sentences  s  — 

What  will  £100  amount  to  in  34  years,  at  4  J  per  cent  per  annum, 
compound  interest?  (Rule  IV.;  and  Remark  c?,  under  Rule  III.) 

The  train  leaves  New  York  at  9  o'clock,  A.M.,  and  4^,  P.M.; 
returning  at  10  in  the  evening.  (Rules  IV.  and  III.) 

But  the  seasons  are  not  alike  in  all  countries  of  the  same  region, 
for  the  reasons  already  given.  See  chap.  vi.  §  xii.  *jf  4,  p.  630. 
(Rule  III.;  and  Rule  V.,  Remark  c.) 

Poetical  Works.    Mark  Akenside.    Lond.  1866.    2  vols.  12mo     .    .    .    4538 
(Rule  II.  and  Rem.  a ;  Rule  HI.,  last  of  Rem.  a,  Rem.  e;  Rule  IV.) 

To  R.  H.  Dana,  jun.,  Esq.,  the  well-known  author  of  "  Two  Years 
before  the  Mast,"  the  community  are  greatly  indebted.  (Rule  III. 
and  first  of  Remark  a.) 

Titus  died  in  the  third  year  of  his  reign,  and  the  41st  year  of  his 
age,  not  without  suspicion  of  being  poisoned  by  his  brother  Domi- 
tian,  who  succeeded  him.  (Remark  e,  under  Rule  III.) 


152  THE    PERIOD. 

Young  as  he  was,  the  gentleman  earned  the  approbation  of  his 
friends,  and  at  length  became  M.D.,  F.R.S.,  F.A.S.  (Rule  III.  and 
first  of  Remark  a.) 

Constantino  the  Great  was  advanced  to  the  sole  dominion  of  the 
Roman  world,  A.D.  325,  and  soon  after  openly  professed  the  Chris 
tian  faith.  (Rule  III.;  Rule  IV.,  last  portion  of  Remark  b.) 

LECTURE  II.  — The  later  Literature  of  the  Greeks.  —  Their  Sophists  and 

Philosophers.— The  Alexandrian  Age 29 

(Rule  II.  and  Remark  a.) 

Thomas  Campbell  wrote  some  beautiful  lines  on  the  Scottish 
king,  James  IV.,  who' fell  at  the  battle  of  Flodden.  (Rule  III.;  and 
Remark  o,  first  portion.) 

The  sentiments  which  chivalry  inspired  had  a  wonderful  influ 
ence  on  manners  and  conduct,  during  the  12th,  13th,  and  14th 
centuries.  (Remark  e,  under  Rule  III.) 

"  Why  so  crusty,  good  sir  ? "  —  "  Zounds !  "  cries  Win,  in  a  taking, 
"  Who  wouldn't  be  crusty  with  half  a  year's  baking?  " 

(Remark  g,  under  Rule  HI.) 

There  are  only  two  common  principles  on  which  every  work  of 
Imagination  must  more  or  less  proceed,  —  1st,  On  the  expression 
of  those  feelings  which  are  common  to  all  men  of  elevated  thinking; 
and,  2d,  On  those  patriotic  feelings  and  associations  peculiar  to  the 
people  in  whose  language  it  is  composed,  and  on  whom  it  is  to  exert 
its  nearest  and  most  powerful  influence.  (Remark  e,  under  Rule  III.) 

INTRODUCTION.  1.  The  Early  Years  of  Elizabeth's  Reign ;  Summary  of  theh 
Literature.  — 2.  Literary  Greatness  of  the  next  Eighty  Years;  Division 
into  Three  Eras. REIGN  OP  ELIZABETH  FROM  1580.  — 3.  Social  Cha 
racter  of  the  Time;  its  Religious  Aspect;  Effects  on  Literature.  —  4.  Minor 
Elizabethan  Writers;  their  Literary  Importance;  the  Three  Great  Names. 
(Rule  II.  aiid  Remark  b.) 

The  following  are  some  of  the  marble  statues,  in  the  Museum  of 
Naples,  which  most  impressed  me :  — 

Psyche;  a  fragment,  but  full  of  feeling,  grace,  and  beauty;  by  some, 
ascribed  to  Praxiteles. 

A  bust  of  Caracalla,  animated  and  lifelike. 

Two  equestrian  statues  of  Balbus  and  his  son,  found  at  Herculaneum ; 
simple,  noble,  and  dignified. 

A  beautiful  bas-relief  of  Daedalus  and  Icarus. 

A  fine  head  of  Alexander.  (Rule  U. ) 


153 


CHAPTER  111. 

THE    GRAMMATICAL    AND    RHETORICAL    POINTS. 


BESIDES  the  Comma,  the  Semicolon,  the  Colon,  and 
the  Period,  which  are  properly  regarded  as  the  most 
essential  points  in  bringing  out  the  sense  of  a  written 
or  printed  composition,  there  are  a  few  other  marks, 
partly  grammatical  and  partly  rhetorical,  well  deserv 
ing  the  attention  of  those  who  desire  to  have  their 
writings,  whether  of  an  epistolary  or  of  a  more  elabo 
rate  nature,  easily  understood  :  — 

1.  The  NOTE  OF  INTERROGATION     .    .    .  \  ?  J 

2.  The  NOTE  OF  EXCLAMATION  .    .    .    .  [  1  J 

3.  The  MARKS  OF  PARENTHESIS      .    .    .  (       ) 

4.  The  DASH [  —  J 

In  classifying  these  points  as  both  grammatical  and 
rhetorical,  we  mean  to  imply,  not  that  those  which 
have  come  under  consideration  afford  no  facilities  in 
delivery,  but  that  the  Marks  of  Interrogation,  Excla 
mation,  and  Parenthesis,  and  the  Dash,  have  a  more 
direct  bearing  on  that  art.  They  are  rhetorical,  in 
proportion  to  the  degree  in  which  they  exhibit  the 
force  and  intensity  of  a  style  that  is  rhetorical  in  its 
structure ;  but  they  are  also  grammatical,  because  they 
often  serve  to  indicate,  in  connection  with  other  marks, 
the  nature,  construction,  and  sense  of  the  passages  in 
which  they  occur. 


154 


SECT.  L  — THE  NOTES  OF  INTERROGATION 
AND  EXCLAMATION. 


1.  The  NOTE  OF  INTERROGATION  [  ?  ]  shows  that 
a  question  is  denoted   by  the  words  to  which  it  is 
annexed. 

2.  The  NOTE  OF  EXCLAMATION  [  !  ]  indicates  pas 
sion  or  emotion. 

REMARKS. 

a.  The  notes  of  interrogation  and  exclamation  do  not  mark  the 
relative  pauses  of  the  voice  ;   occupying,  as  they  do,  sometimes 
the  place  of  the  comma  or  the  semicolon,  and  sometimes  that  of  the 
colon  or  the  period.    But  they  are  usually  put  at  the  end  of  sen 
tences,  and  are  equivalent  to  a  full  point;  requiring,  therefore,  in 
the  majority  of  instances,  the  word  that  follows  to  begin  with  a 
capital  letter,  as  after  the  period. 

b.  In  some  cases,  it  is  difficult  to  distinguish  the  difference  be 
tween  an  interrogative  and  an  exclamatory  sentence.    As  a  general 
rule,  however,  it  may  be  observed,  that   after  words  in  which  an 
answer  is  implied,  or  to  which  one  is  expected  to  be  given,  the  note 
of  interrogation  is  added;  and  after  those,  though  apparently  de 
noting  inquiry,  where  no  answer  is  involved  or  intended,  the  note 
of  exclamation  is  the  proper  and  distinctive  mark.    If  the  writer  of 
such  passages  has  a  clear  conception  of  his  own  meaning,  he  can 
be  at  no  loss  which  of  the  points  should  be  used;  but  if  the  lan 
guage  is  ambiguous,  and  requires  to  be  punctuated  by  a  printer  or 
an  editor,  either  of  the  marks  may,  under  the  circumstances,  be 
regarded  as  admissible. 

c.  In  treating  of  the  interrogative  and  exclamative  marks,  writers 
on  punctuation,  laying  too  much  stress  on  the  rhetorical  character 
of  these  points,  are  wont  to  say  that  they  cause  an  elevation  of  the 
voice.    But,  though  it  must  be  acknowledged  that  they  assist  much 
in  the  proper  delivery  of  the  passages  in  which  they  occur,  it  will 


INTERROGATORY    EXPRESSIONS.  155 

not  be  denied  that  this  results  only  from  a  knowledge  of  a  writer's 
meaning,  and  from  the  kind  of  phraseology  which  he  employs. 
That  the  notes  of  interrogation  and  exclamation  have  far  less  to 
do  with  the  inflections  of  the  voice  than  is  commonly  imagined,  will 
be  fully  apparent  from  the  following  sentences,  some  of  which 
require  a  rise,  and  others  a  fall,  in  their  pronunciation :  "  Shall  we 
in  your  person  crown'  the  author  of  the  public  calamities,  or  shall 
we  destroy*  him?" — "What  is  the  happiness  that  this  world  can 
give*  ?  Can  it  defend  us  from  disasters'  V  "  —  "Oh  that  these  lips  had 
language'  1 "  —  "  How  mysterious  are  the  ways  of  Providence*!  " 


RULE    I. 
Expressions  in  the  Form  of  Qwstions. 

An  interrogative  mark  is  placed  at  the  termination 
of  every  question,  whether  it  requires  an  answer,  or, 
though  in  its  nature  assertive,  is  put,  for  the  sake  of 
emphasis,  in  an  interrogative  form. 

EXAMPLES. 

1.  Why,  for  so  many  a  year,  has  the   poet   or  the  philosopher  wandered 
amid  the  fragments  of  Athens  or  of  Rome;  and  paused,  with  strange  and 
kindling  feelings,  amid  their  broken  columns,  their  mouldering  temples,  their 
deserted  plains?    It  is  because  their  day  of  glory  is  past. 

2.  How  can  he  exalt  his  thoughts  to  any  thing  great  or  noble  who  only 
believes,  that,  after  a  short  term  on  the  stage  of  existence,  he  is  to  sink  into 
oblivion,  and  to  lose  his  consciousness  for  ever? 

REMARKS. 

a.  The  first  of  these  passages  exemplifies  a  sentence  expressive 
of  direct  inquiry;  the  second,  one  that  is  assertive  in  its  meaning,  but 
interrogative  in  its  structure  or  form. 

b.  The  mark  of  interrogation  should  not  be  used  when  it  is  only 
affirmed  that  a  question  has  been  asked,  and  the  expression  denoting 
inquiry  is  put  in  any  other  shape  than  that  of  a  direct  question ;  as, 
"  I  was  asked  if  I  would  stop  for  dinner."    If  put  in  the  interroga 
tive  form,  this  sentence  would  be  read  and  punctuated  according  to 
the  rule:  " I  was  asked, '  Will  you  stop  for  dinner? '  " 


156  A'HK    NOTE    OF    INTERROGATION. 

c.  In  some  instances,  however,  a  question  may  be  assertive  in  its 
form,  but  interrogative  in  its  sense;  as,  "  You  will  stop  for  dinner?" 
In  order  to  distinguish  a  sentence  of  this  kind  from  one  that  is 
affirmative  both  in  form  and  signification,  it  is  obvious  that  the  note 
of  interrogation  should  be  employed. 

d.  It  is   a  common  error,   both  with   writers   and  printers,  to 
make  one  interrogative  mark  represent  several  successive  questions, 
which,  though  connected  in  sense,  are  in  construction  distinct  and 
separate;   and  to  substitute  semicolons  or  dashes  where  notes  of 
interrogation  should  be  used.    In  the  following  passage,  therefore, 
each  question  should  be  distinguished  by  its  appropriate  mark,  and 
not  by  dashes,  which  are  used  in  the  original :  "  What  is  civilization  ? 
Where  is  it  ?     What  does  it  consist  in  ?     By  what  is  it  excluded  ? 
Where  does  it  commence  ?     Where  does  it  end  ?     By  what  sign  is  it 
known?     How  is  it  defined?    In  short,  what  does  it  mean? " 

e.  When,  however,  the  expressions  denoting  inquiry  cannot  be 
separated,  and  read  alone,  without  materially  injuring  the  sense,  one 
mark  of  interrogation,  placed  at  the  end  of  all  the  questions,  will 
be  sufficient;  as,  "Ah!  whither  now  are  fled  those  dreams  of  great 
ness;  those  busy,  bustling  days;   those  gay-spent,  festive  nights, 
those  veering  thoughts,  lost  between  good  and  ill,  that  shared  thy 
life?" 

f.  When  sentences  or  expressions  which  were  affirmative  when 
spoken  or  originally  written  are  quoted  by  a  writer  in  the  form  of  a 
question,  the  interrogative  point  should  be  put  after  the  marks  of 
quotation  ["  "],  and  not  before  them;  as,— 

"  The  passing  crowd  "  is  a  phrase  coined  in  the  spirit  of  indifference. 
Yet,  to  a  niiin  of  what  Plato  calls  "  universal  sympathies,"  and  even  to  the 
plain,  ordinary  denizens  of  this  world,  what  can  be  more  interesting  than 
"  the  passing  crowd  "? 

Bat,  for  the  sake  of  neatness,  any  of  the  four  grammatical  points, 
when  required,  should  be  put  before,  the  quotation-marks,  as  they 
are  not  likely  to  give  a  false  meaning  to  the  words  cited. 

g.  The  interrogative  mark  should  be  inserted  immediately  after 
a  question  which  formally  introduces  a  remark  or  a  quotation ;  as, 
"Who  will  not  cherish  the  sentiment  contained  in  the  following 
words  of  Washington  ?  '  The  nation  which  indulges  towards  another 
an  habitual  hatred  or  an  habitual  fondness  is,  in  some  degree,  a  slave. 
It  is  a  slave  to  its  animosity  or  to  its  affection,  either  of  which  is 
sufficient  to  lead  it  astray  from  its  duty  and  its  interest.' " 


INTERROGATORY    EXPRESSIONS.  157 


ORAL   EXERCISES. 

After  mentioning  the  distinctive  uses  of  the  notes  of  interrogation  and  ezclarna. 
t»<m,  say  why  interrogative  marks  are  inserted  in  these  sentences :  — 

Are  there  not  seasons  of  spring  in  the  moral  world  ?  and  is  not 
the  present  age  one  of  them  V 

Who  can  look  only  at  the  muscles  of  the  hand,  and  doubt  that 
man  was  made  to  work? 

The  past,  the  mighty  past,  the  parent  of  the  present,  —  where  is 
it?  What  is  it? 

Are  the  palaces  of  kings  to  be  regarded  with  more  interest  than 
the  humbler  roofs  that  shelter  millions  of  human  beings  ? 

If  a  wicked  man  could  be  happy,  who  might  have  been  so  happy 
as  Hainan  ? 

Who  would  tear  asunder  the  best  affections  of  the  heart,  the 
noblest  instincts  of  our  nature  ? 

Have  you  more  liberty  allowed  you  to  wound  your  neighbor's 
character  than  you  have  to  shed  his  blood  ? 

A  gaudy  verbosity  is  always  eloquence  in  the  opinion  of  him  that 
writes  it;  but  what  is  the  effect  on  the  reader? 

Bion,  seeing  a  person  who  was  tearing  the  hair  of  his  head  for  sor 
row,  said,  "  Does  this  man  think  that  baldness  is  a  remedy  for  grief?  " 

Is  the  celestial  fire  which  glowed  in  their  hearts  for  ever  quenched, 
and  nought  but  ashes  left  to  mingle  with  the  earth,  and  be  blown 
around  the  world  ? 

You  say  you  will  repent  in  some  future  period  of  time ;  but  are 
you  sure  of  arriving  at  that  period  of  time  ?  Have  you  one  hour  in 
your  hand  ?  Have  you  one  minute  at  your  disposal  ? 

What  but  the  ever-living  power  of  literature  and  religion  pre 
served  the  light  of  civilization,  and  the  intellectual  stores  of  the  past, 
nndiminished  in  Greece,  during  the  long  and  dreary  ages  of  the 
decline  and  downfall  of  the  Roman  empire  V 

Who  shall  sunder  me  from  such  men  as  Fenelon  and  Pascal  and 
Borromeo,  —  from  Archbishop  Leighton,  Jeremy  Taylor,  and  John 
Howard  ?  Who  can  rupture  the  spiritual  bond  between  these  meu 
and  myself ?  Do  I  not  hold  them  dear  ?  Does  not  their  spirit,  flow 
ing  out  through  their  writings  and  lives,  penetrate  my  soul  ?  Are 
they  not  a  portion  of  my  being  ?  Am  I  not  a  different  man  from 
what  I  should  have  been,  had  not  these  and  other  like  spirits  acted 
on  mine  ?  And  is  it  in  the  power  of  synod  or  conclave,  or  of  all  the 
ecclesiastical  combinations  on  earth,  to  part  me  from  them  ? 


158  NOTE    OF    INTERROGATION. 

Show  how  the  Rule  or  Vie  Remarks  (pp.  156-6)  apply  to  tlie  punctuation  of  these 

sentences  ••  — 

"Honest  man,"  says  I,  "be  so  good  as  to  inform  me  whether  I 
am  in  the  way  to  Mirlingtou." 

The  question  is  not  what  we  might  actually  wish  with  our  present 
views,  but  what  with  juster  views  we  ought  to  wish. 

When  a  king  asked  Euclid  the  mathematician,  whether  he  could 
not  explain  his  art  to  him  in  a  more  compendious  manner,  he  was 
answered  that  there  was  no  royal  way  to  geometry. 

"The  sun  not  set  yet,  Thomas?"  —  "Not  quite,  sir.  It  blazes 
through  the  trees  on  the  hill  yonder,  as  if  their  branches  were  all  on 
fire." 

The  Phoenicians  invented  letters;  but  what  did  they  do  with 
them  ?  Apply  them  to  the  record,  the  diffusion,  transmission,  and 
preservation  of  knowledge  V 

You  do  not  expect  me  to  leave  my  family,  when  we  are  all  so 
comfortable,  and  brave  the  perils  of  a  long  passage  and  sickly  cli 
mate,  for  the  mere  chance  of  getting  gold  ? 

To  purchase  heaven,  has  gold  the  power? 
Can  gold  remove  the  mortal  hour? 
In  life  can  love  be  bought  with  gold  ? 
Are  friendship's  pleasures  to  be  sold?  — 
No :  all  that's  worth  a  wish  or  thought, 
Fair  virtue  gives  unbribed,  uubought. 

Can  gray  hairs  make  folly  venerable  ?  and  is  not  their  period  to 
be  reserved  for  retirement  and  meditation  ? 

Are  the  stars,  that  gem  the  vault  of  the  heavens  above  us,  mere 
decorations  of  the  night,  or  suns  and  centres  of  planetary  systems  ? 

Where  be  your  gibes  now;  your  gambols;  your  songs;  your 
flashes  of  merriment,  that  were  wont  to  set  the  table  in  a  roar  ? 

Are  you  conscious  of  a  like  increase  in  wisdom,  —  in  pure  en 
deavors  to  make  yourself  and  other  men  what  you  and  they  ought 
to  be? 

Greece,  indeed,  fell;  but  how  did  she  fall?  Did  she  fall  like 
Babylon  ?  Did  she  fall  "  like  Lucifer,  never  to  hope  again  "  ? 

Is  there  any  man  so  swelled  by  the  conceit  of  his  union  with  the 
true  church,  as  to  stand  apart,  and  say,  "  I  am  holier  than  thou  "  ? 

What  do  you  say  ?  What  ?  I  really  do  not  understand  you.  Be 
so  good  as  to  explain  yourself  again.  Upon  my  word,  I  do  not.  — 
Oh !  now  I  know :  you  mean  to  tell  me  it  is  a  cold  day.  Why  did 
you  not  say  at  once,  "  It  is  cold  to-day  "  ? 


EXCLAMATORY    EXPRESSIONS.  159 

RULE    II. 

Expressions  indicating  Passion  or  Emotion. 
An  exclamative  mark  is  put  after  expressions  de 
noting  an  ardent  wish,  admiration,  or  any  other  strong 
emotion ;  after  interjections,  words  used  as  interjections, 
or  clauses  containing  them  ;  and  after  terms  or  expres 
sions  in  an  address,  corresponding  to  the  vocative  case 
in  Latin,  when  emphatic. 

EXAMPLES. 

1.  Would  that  we  had  maintained  our  humble  state,  and  continued  to  live  in 

peace  and  poverty ! 

2.  How  sweet  are  the  slumbers  of  him  who  can  lie  down  on  his  pillow,  and 

review  the  transactions  of  every  day,  without  condemning  himself ! 
8.  What  a  fearful  handwriting  upon  the  walls  that  surround  the  deeds  of 

darkness,  duplicity,  and  sensual  crime! 
4.  Bah!  that's  the  third  umbrella  gone  since  Christmas.    What  were  you  to 

do !     Why,  let  him  go  home  in  the  rain,  to  be  sure. 
6.  Away,  all  ye  Caesars  and  Napoleons!   to  your  own  dark  and  frightful 

domains  of  slaughter  and  misery ! 
6.  Friends,  countrymen,  and  lovers!  hear  me  for  my  cause,  and  be  silent  that 

you  may  hear. 

REMARKS. 

o.  With  the  exception  of  the  dash,  there  is  probably  no  point 
respecting  which  more  vague  and  inaccurate  conceptions  are  enter 
tained  than  in  regard  to  the  applying  of  the  note  of  exclamation. 
Some  writers  freely  make  use  of  this  mark  where  the  sentiments 
do  not  contain  one  iota  of  emotion,  and  foist  it  in  on  every  possible 
occasion,  sometimes  in  a  twofold  or  a  triplicate  form;  thus  vainly 
trying  to  hide  their  lack  of  pathos  or  of  passion  by  a  bristling  array 
of  dagger-like  points.  Others,  again,  indulge  a  questionable  taste 
for  the  same  mark,  by  using  it  wherever  their  diction  is  capable 
of  conveying  emotion  to  others,  but  where  neither  the  structure  of 
the  expressions  employed,  nor  the  tones  or  inflections  of  the  voice 
required  in  reading,  will  admit  of  the  point.  On  this  subject,  we 
quote  the  judicious  remarks  of  the  Rev.  Joseph  Robertson,  in  his 
11  Essay  on  Punctuation,"  third  edition,  Lond.  1791,  p.  113:  "It  may 


160  NOTE    OF    EXCLAMATION. 

not  be  improper  to  caution  the  young  and  inexperienced  write! 
against  the  immoderate  use  of  exclamations.  Whenever  we  see  a 
page  in  prose  profusely  interspersed  with  points  of  admiration,  we 
generally  find  it  full  of  unnatural  reveries,  rant,  and  bombast.  The 
Sacred  Writings,  and  particularly  the  Psalms,  abound  with  expres 
sions  of  the  warmest  piety,  and  the  most  elevated  descriptions  of 
the  Divine  nature;  ....  but  our  translators,  in  conformity  to  the 
sober  majesty  of  the  original,  have  seldom  introduced  the  note  of 
admiration." 

b.  Generally  speaking,  only  those  sentences,  clauses,  or  phrases 
should  have  the  note  of  exclamation,  which  demand  a  fervid,  pas 
sionate  mode  of  delivery;  or  which  commence  with  any  of  the 
interjections ;  with  verbs  in  the  imperative  mood,  adverbs,  or  prepo 
sitions,  uttering  a  stern  command  or  forcibly  calling  attention;  with 
the  adverbs  how,  what,  unless  they  denote  affirmation  or  inquiry ;  or 
with  the  case  of  address,  when  used  in  a  solemn  style,  or  emphasized 
by  the  use  of  the  word  0. 

c.  Between  the  interjections  0  and  oh  there  exists  an  esseutial 
difference,  which  is  frequently  neglected  even  by  some  of  our  best 
writers.     The  former  is  properly  prefixed  to  an  expression  in  a 
direct  address;  but  the  latter  ought  never  to  be  so  employed.     0 
should  be  used  without  the  mark  of  exclamation  immediately  after 
it;  but  oh,  sometimes  with  and  sometimes  without  it,  according  to 
the  construction  and  sense  of  the  passage  in  which  the  word  occurs. 
The  following  sentences  will  illustrate  the  difference  spoken  of,  and 
the  true  mode  of  punctuation :  — 

1.  The  heavens  and  earth,  0  Lord!  proclaim  thy  boundless  power. 

2.  When,  0  my  countrymen !  will  you  begin  to  exert  your  vigor? 

3.  0  blessed  spirit,  who  art  freed  from  earth !  rejoice. 

4.  Oh !  nothing  is  further  from  my  thoughts  than  to  deceive  you. 

5.  Oh,  what  a  glorious  part  you  may  act  on  the  theatre  of  humanity? 

6.  Oh  that  all  classes  of  society  were  both  enlightened  and  virtuous! 

In  the  first  three  examples,  the  particle  0  may  be  justly  regarded  as 
the  sign  of  the  case  of  address,  which  with  its  assistance  conveys  a 
feeling  of  greater  emphasis  or  passion  than  it  usually  does  without 
the  sign :  the  note  of  exclamation  being,  in  the  first  instance,  put 
after  the  vocative  word ;  in  the  second,  after  the  vocative  phrase ; 
and,  in  the  third,  after  the  vocative  clause.  In  the'slast  three  exam 
ples,  the  interjection,  according  to  the  form  adopted  (oh)  and  the 
manner  in  which  it  is  applied,  is  obviously  a  different  word.  In 
the  example  numbered  4,  the  word  oh  is  followed  immediately  by  the 


EXCLAMATORY    EXPRESSIONS.  161 

mark  denoting  exclamation,  because  it  is  independent  of  the  next 
expression,  which  closes  merely  with  a  period,  there  being  nothing 
characteristic  of  emotion  in  the  structure  of  the  language  used.  In 
the  fifth  example,  the  interjection  is  pointed  with  a  comma,  because 
this  word  is  grammatically  separable  from  the  part  of  the  sentence 
beginning  with  "  what; "  but  the  note  of  exclamation,  which  would 
have  been  put  after  oh  if  the  following  expression  had  been  simply 
affirmative,  is  placed  at  the  end  of  all,  to  show  the  unity  of  strong 
feeling  which  runs  throughout.  In  the  sixth  and  last  example,  the 
interjection  is  not  separated  by  any  point  from  the  conjunction 
"  that,"  on  account  of  its  intimate  relation  to  what  follows;  and  the 
mark  denoting  an  ardent  wish  is  therefore,  as  in  the  preceding  exam 
ple,  placed  at  the  close  of  the  sentence. 

d.  In  accordance  with  the  mode  of  punctuation  adopted  in  the 
examples  illustrating  Remark  c,  it  is  recommended,  that  wherever 
interjections,  or  any  other  words  indicative  of  deep  emotion  or  fervid 
passion,  are  not  meant  to  be  significant  in  themselves,  but  to  form 
part  of  a  phrase,  clause,  or  sentence,  the  mark  of  exclamation  be  put 
not  after  each  of  these  words,  but  only  at  the  end  of  each  expression; 
as,  "  Ah  me !  "  —  "  Alas,  my  noble  boy !  that  thou  shouldst  die !  "  — 
"All  hail,  ye  patriots  brave!"  —  "Rouse,  ye  Romans!   rouse,  ye 
slaves!  "     This  simple  style  of  pointing  seems  much  preferable  to  — 
"Ah!  me!  "  "  Alas!  my  noble  boy!  that  thou  shouldst  die!  "  &c.; 
is  sufficiently  expressive  for  all  the  purposes  of  animated  composition; 
and  tends  to  preclude,  what  every  author  must  dread,  the  charge  of 
affectation  or  of  quackery. 

e.  A  remark  similar  to  what  is  applied  to  the  note  of  interroga 
tion,  p.  156,  Remark  /,  may  be  made  here.    When  expressions  which 
were  assertive  in  their  original  state  are  quoted,  and  used  in  an 
exclamatory  manner,  the  point  indicating  astonishment,  irony,  or  any 
other  feeling,  should  be  put  after  the  marks  of  quotation ;  as,  — 

"It  is  p«rfectly  allowable,"  says  Lord  Suffolk,  uto  use  all  the  means 
which  God  and  nature  have  put  into  our  hands."  ....  My  lords,  we  are 
called  upon,  as  members  of  this  house,  as  men,  as  Christians,  to  protest 
against  euch  horrible  barbarity.  "  That  God  and  nature  have  put  into  our 
hands"!  What  ideas  of  God  and  nature  that  noble  lord  may  entertain,  1 
know  not ;  but  I  know  that  such  detestable  principles  are  equally  abhorrent 
to  religion  and  humanity. 

This  is  evidently  the  fair  mode  of  pointing  such  extracts ;  the  notes 
of  interrogation  and  exclamation  denoting  sentiments  quite  different 
from  those  felt  by  the  persons  to  whom  the  words  quoted  belong. 
11 


162  NOTE    OF    EXCLAMATION 

ORAL  EXERCISES. 

Why  are  notes  of  exclamation  inserted  in  the  following  examples!  — 

Alas,  poor  Yorick !  —  Alas  for  the  man  who  has  not  learned  to  work 
We  shall  be  so  happy!  —  Live,  live,  ye  incomparable  pair! 
Behold  the  daughter  of  Innocence !  —  How  peaceful  is  the  grave ! 
O  Freedom !  thou  art  not,  as  poets  dream,  a  fair  young  girl. 
How  dear  to  this  heart  are  the  scenes  of  my  childhood  I 
All  hail,  thou  noble  land,  our  fathers'  native  soil ! 
Praise  to  the  'men  for  whose  writings  I  am  the  better  and  wiser ! 
What !  kill  thy  friend  who  lent  thee  money,  for  asking  thee  for  it ! 
The  secret  I  implore :  out  with  it !  speak !  discover !  utter  I 
Farewell,  a  long  farewell,  to  all  my  greatness ! 
Down,  soothless  insulter!   I  trust  not  the  tale.  —  Ha,  ha,  ha! 
Charge,  Chester,  charge !  on,  Stanley,  on !  —  Out,  out,  Lucetta ! 
Oh  the  great  deep  of  suffering  in  every  human  breast ! 


How  often,  in  an  instant,  doth  a  hand  unseen  shift  the  scene  of 
the  world !  —  Alas !  those  happy  days  are  gone. 

When  we  pass  from  the  living  world  to  the  dead,  what  a  sad  pic 
ture  do  we  behold !  Oh  the  grave !  the  grave ! 

Happy  were  it  for  us,  did  we  constantly  view  the  great  Creator 
and  Preserver  of  all  continually  manifesting  himself  in  his  works ! 

May  the  sun,  in  his  course,  visit  no  land  more  free,  more  happy, 
more  lovely,  than  this  our  own  country ! 

What  mighty  and  remote  revolutions  hath  the  human  mind  pro 
dieted  by  observing  the  present  positions  of  the  heavenly  bodies ! 

How  pleasant  will  it  be  to  mark  the  soul  thus  moving  forward  in 
the  brightness  of  its  course ! 

Tremble,  0  man !  whosoever  thou  art,  who  art  conscious  to  thy 
self  of  unrepented  sins.  Peace  of  mind  thou  shalt  never  enjoy. 

What  a  multitude  of  that  living  host,  now  glorious  in  the  blaze  of 
arms  and  burning  with  desires  of  conquest,  will  fall  and  perish ! 

On  you  and  on  your  children  be  the  peril  of  the  innocent  blood 
which  shall  be  shed  this  day ! 

I  know  not  what  course  others  may  take ;  but,  as  for  me,  give  me 
liberty,  or  give  me  death ! 

What  noble  institutions !  what  a  comprehensive  policy  I  what  wise 
equalization  of  every  political  advantage ! 

How  beautiful  is  all  this  visible  world !  how  beautiful  in  its  action 
and  itself!  —  The  will  of  God  be  done  I 


QUESTIONS    AND    EXCLAMATIONS.  168 

Shew  how  the  Remarks  (pp.  160-61)  apply  to  the  punctuation  of  the 
following  sentences  t  — 

0  Providence !  how  many  poor  insects  of  thine  are  exposed  to  be 
trodden  to  death  hi  each  path ! 

This,  0  men  of  Athens !  my  duty  prompted  me  to  represent  to 
you  on  this  occasion. 

0  sacred,  wise,  and  wisdom-giving  plant,  mother  of  science !  now 
I  feel  thy  power  within  me. 

0  thou  who  future  things  canst  represent  as  present,  heavenly 
instructor !  I  revive  at  this  last  sight ;  assured  that  man  shall  live. 

Oh !  I  could  be  bounded  in  a  nutshell,  and  count  myself  a  kiug 
of  infinite  space,  were  it  not  that  I  have  had  bad  dreams. 

Oh  1  you  are  wounded,  my  lord.  —  Oh !  many  a  dream  was  in  the 
ship  an  hour  before  her  death. 

Oh,  how  seldom  has  a  pang  shot  through  our  hearts  at  the  sight 
of  our  ruined  fellow-creatures ! 

Oh,  bloodiest  picture  in  the  book  of  time !  Sarmatia  fell,  unwept, 
without  a  crime. 

Oh  that  men  should  put  an  enemy  into  their  mouths  to  steal  away 
their  brains  \ 

Oh  the  insupportable  anguish  of  reflecting  that  they  died  of  hun 
ger,  when  there  was  bread  enough  and  to  spare ! 

Alas  for  his  poor  family !  —  Alas  that  folly  and  falsehood  should 
be  so  hard  to  grapple  with  1 

Daughter  of  Faith,  awake  I  arise  1  illume  the  dread  unknown,  the 
chaos  of  the  tomb ! 

Alas,  poor  creature  I  I  will  soon  revenge  this  cruelty  upon  the 
author  of  it. 

Ugh !  I  look  forward  with  dread  for  to-morrow.  —  Up,  comrades, 
up !  —  Away  with  him  to  prison ! 

Fie,  fie,  fie !  pah,  pah !  Give  me  an  ounce  of  civet,  good  apothe 
cary,  to  sweeten  my  imagination :  there's  money  for  thee. 

Ah  the  laborious  indolence  of  him  who  has  nothing  to  do  I  the 
preying  weariness,  the  stagnant  ennui,  of  him  who  has  nothing  to 
obtain  1 

But  hail,  ye  mighty  masters  of  the  lay, 
Nature's  true  sons,  the  friends  of  man  and  truth ! 

How  exceedingly  prepossessing  must  have  been  the  appearance 
of  this  young  man,  which  made  an  impression  upon  Jesus  so  strong 
and  evident  as  to  cause  it  to  be  remarked  that  "  Jesus  loved  him"  I 


164       INTERROGATIVE   AND    EXCL AMATIVE   MARKS. 


EXERCISE   TO   BE   WRITTEN. 

Let  notes  of  interrogation  and  exclamation  be  inserted  in  the  following  sentences 
agreeably  to  the  principles  laid  down  in  the  two  preceding  Rules,  and  the 
Remarks  under  them  (pp.  165-161) :  — 

Peace  to  their  manes  May  the  turf  lie  lightly  on  their  breast, 
and  the  verdure  over  their  grave  be  as  perpetual  as  their  memories 
(Rule  II.) 

Is  he  who  triumphed  in  the  hope  of  immortality  inferior  to  the 
worm,  his  companion  in  the  tomb  Will  light  never  rise  on  the  long 
night  of  the  grave  (Rule  I.) 

What  a  piece  of  work  is  man  How  noble  in  reason  how  infinite 
in  faculties  in  form  and  moving  how  express  and  admirable  hi  action 
how  like  an  angel  in  apprehension  how  like  a  god  (Rule  II.) 

Triptolemus  asked  Mordaunt,  with  a  voice  which  faltered  with 
apprehension,  whether  he  thought  there  was  any  danger.  (Remark  6, 
under  Rule  I.) 

How  many  bright  eyes  grow  dim  how  many  soft  cheeks  grow 
pale  how  many  lively  forms  fade  away  into  the  tomb  —  and  none 
can  tell  the  cause  that  blighted  their  happiness.  (Rule  II.) 

You  do  not  think,  I  hope,  that  I  will  join  in  conversation  with 
such  a  man,  or  that  I  will  so  far  betray  my  character  as  to  give  coun 
tenance  to  such  desperate  proceedings  (Remark  c,  under  Rule  I.) 

How  happy  the  station  which  every  minute  furnishes  opportuni- 
ies  of  doing  good  to  thousands  how  dangerous  that  which  every 
moment  exposes  to  the  injury  of  millions  (Rule  II.) 

Where  is  the  man  who  is  entitled  to  set  a  boundary  to  himself 
in  the  path  of  righteousness,  saying,  "  Hitherto  shall  I  go,  but  no 
further  "  (Rule  I.  and  Remark  /.) 

Wherever  an  agonizing  people  shall  perish,  in  a  generous  convul 
sion,  for  want  of  a  valiant  arm  and  a  fearless  heart,  they  will  cry,  in 
the  last  accents  of  despair,  "  Oh  for  a  Washington,  an  Adams,  a 
Jefferson  "  (Rule  II.  and  Remark  c.) 

What  words  can  declare  the  immeasurable  worth  of  books  what 
rhetoric  set  forth  the  importance  of  that  great  invention  which 
diffused  them  over  the  whole  earth  to  glad  its  myriads  of  minds 
(Rule  I.  and  Remark  d.) 

By  what  inconceivable  perversion  of  taste  and  of  labor  has  he 
framed,  for  the  sentiments  of  his  religion,  a  mode  of  expression  so 
uncongenial  with  the  eloquence  of  his  country,  and  so  adapted  to  dis 
sociate  them  from  all  connection  with  that  eloquence  (Rule  I.) 


QUESTIONS    AND    EXCLAMATIONS.  165 

It  is  good  to  make  earth  and  ocean,  winds  and  flames,  sun  and 
stars,  tributary  to  our  present  well-being:  how  much  better  to  make 
them  minister  to  our  spiritual  wants,  teachers  of  heavenly  truth, 
guides  to  a  more  glorious  Being  than  themselves,  bonds  of  union 
between  man  and  his  Maker  (Rule  II.) 

Why  is  it  that  the  names  of  Howard  and  Thornton  and  Clarkson 
and  Wilberforce  will  be  held  in  everlasting  remembrance  Is  it  not 
chiefly  on  account  of  their  goodness,  their  Christian  philanthropy, 
the  overflowing  and  inexhaustible  benevolence  of  their  great  minds 
(Rule  I.  and  Remark  e.) 

Victims  of  persecution  how  wide  an  empire  acknowledges  the 
sway  of  your  principles  Apostles  of  liberty  what  millions  attest 
the  authenticity  of  your  mission  Meek  champions  of  truth  no  stain 
of  private  interest  or  of  innocent  blood  is  on  the  spotless  garments  of 
your  renown.  (Rule  II.) 

Whither  shall  I  turn  Wretch  that  I  am  to  what  place  shall  I 
betake  myself  Shall  I  go  to  the  capitol  —  alas  it  is  overflowed  with 
my  brother's  blood ;  or  shall  1  retire  to  my  house  —  yet  there  I  be 
hold  my  mother  plunged  in  misery,  weeping  and  despairing.  (Rules 
I.  and  II.) 

What  is  it  only  in  dreams  that  beauty  and  loveliness  have  beamed 
on  me  from  the  human  countenance;  that  I  have  heard  tones  of 
kindness  which  have  thrilled  through  my  heart;  that  I  have  found 
sympathy  in  suffering,  and  a  sacred  joy  in  friendship  Are  all  the 
great  and  good  men  of  past  ages  only  dreams  (Rule  II.;  Rule  I. 
and  Remark  e.) 

Does  not  the  mind,  after  all,  spread  its  own  hue  over  all  the 
scenes  of  life  Does  not  the  cheerful  man  make  a  cheerful  world 
Does  not  the  sorrowing  man  make  a  gloomy  world  Does  not  every 
mind  make  its  own  world  Does  it  not  —  as  if  indeed  a  portion  of 
the  Deity  were  imparted  to  it  —  does  it  not  almost  create  the  scene 
around  it  (Rule  I.  and  Remark  </.) 

Why  has  God  placed  man  amidst  this  boundless  theatre,  revealed 
uround  him  this  endless  creation,  touched  his  heart  with  the  love  of 
beauty,  and  given  him  this  delightful  and  awful  interest  in  all  that 
meets  his  eye,  if  he  is  merely  a  creature  of  the  earth,  soon  to  shut 
his  eyes  on  these  majestic  scenes,  and  to  be  buried  for  ever  in  a 
narrow  grave  Does  this  love  of  the  infinite,  this  attachment  to  the 
universe,  seem  suitable  to  so  frail  a  nature  Do  they  not  suggest 
the  idea  of  a  being  who  belongs  to  the  universe,  and  who  is  to  fill  an 
ever-  widening  sphere  ( Rule  I. ) 


166       INTERROGATIVE    AND    EXCLAMATIVE    MARKS. 

0  Pascal  thou  wert  pure  in  heart  in  this  world,  and  now  thou  art 
in  full  sight  of  God.  0  John  Milton  thou  art  among  the  angels  and 
the  seraphs  that  were  once  thy  glorious  song;  and  this  world  is  dear 
to  them  for  what  thou  thyself  wert  in  it.  Oh,  how  sublimely  dost 
thou  move  hi  heaven,  the  love  of  saints  and  heroes,  and  spirite 
multitudinous  (Rule  II.  and  Remark  c.) 

0  Nature  how  in  every  charm  supreme  (Rule  n.) 

Can  storied  urn  or  animated  bust 

Back  to  its  mansion  call  the  fleeting  breath 

Can  honor's  voice  proToke  the  silent  dust, 

Or  flattery  soothe  the  dull,  cold  ear  of  death  (Rule  I.) 

A  crippled  and  suffering  child,  looked  at  from  without,  seems  the 
heaviest  of  domestic  afflictions.  Yet,  once  confided  to  our  care, 
what  an  object  of  tender  interest  it  becomes  What  gentle  and  holy 
affections  hover  over  it  What  a  web  of  soft  and  fostering  duty  is 
woven  round  it  It  gives  new  beauty  and  value  to  life.  We  would 
fain  keep  it  with  us  for  ever.  What  a  void  is  left  when  it  is  removed 
by  the  hand  of  death  (Rule  II.) 

What  must  sound  reason  pronounce  of  a  mind,  which,  in  the  train 
of  millions  of  thoughts,  has  wandered  to  all  things  under  the  sun, 
to  all  the  permanent  objects  or  vanishing  appearances  in  the  crea 
tion,  but  never  fixed  its  thought  on  the  Supreme  Reality;  never 
approached,  like  Moses,  to  "see  this  great  sight"  (Remark  f, 
under  Rule  I.) 

Oh  the  littleness  of  man's  heart,  capable  of  loving  only  by  units 
and  in  successive  emotions,  and  therefore  contracting  the  infinite 
heart  of  God  to  the  narrowness  of  his  own  Oh  the  meanness  of 
man's  thoughts,  when  he  takes  the  foot-rule,  by  which  he  measures 
his  earthly  dwelling,  as  his  base-line  of  triangulation  for  measuring 
the  amplitude  of  the  heavenly  temple  (Rule  II.,  Remark  c.) 

Who  is  the  man  whom  you  select  from  the  records  of  time  as  the 
object  of  your  special  admiration  Is  it  he  who  lived  to  indulge 
himself;  whose  current  of  life  flowed  most  equably  and  pleasurably; 
whose  desires  were  crowned  most  liberally  with  means  of  gratifica 
tion;  whose  table  was  most  luxuriantly  spread;  and  whom  fortune 
made  the  envy  of  his  neighborhood  by  the  fulness  of  her  gifts  Were 
such  the  men  to  whom  monuments  have  been  reared,  and  whose 
memories,  freshened  with  tears  of  joy  and  reverence,  grow  and 
flourish  and  spread  through  every  age  Oh,  no  (Rule  I.  and  Re 
mark  e;  Rule  II.,  Remark  d.) 


167 


SECT.  II.  —  MARKS  OF   PARENTHESIS. 


MARKS  OF  PARENTHESIS  consist  of  two  curved 
lines  (  ),  which  serve  to  indicate  that  an  expression 
is  inserted  in  the  body  of  a  sentence,  with  which  it 
has  no  connection  in  sense  or  in  construction. 

K  E  M  A  R  KS. 

a.  These  two  curves  are  sometimes  called  parentheses,  or  a  paren 
thesis,  —  the  same  word  that  indicates  the  kind  of  phrase  or  clause 
which  they  enclose.  But,  as  this  designation  tends  to  produce 
ambiguity  or  confusion  of  ideas,  it  would  be  better  to  name  them 
"  marks  of  parenthesis,"  and  to  restrict  the  term  "  parenthesis"  to 
signify,  what  it  properly  means,  those  words  which  are  put  between 
such  portions  of  a  sentence  as  are  intimately  connected  iu  sense  and 
in  construction. 

6.  Marks  of  parenthesis  were  once  used  in  greater  abundance  than 
they  are  at  the  present  day ;  many  phrases  and  clauses  now  pointed 
with  commas  having  been  formerly  enclosed  by  curved  lines.  This 
probably  arose  from  the  fact,  that  the  older  writers  were  more  accus 
tomed  to  an  involved  style  of  composition,  which  could  not  be  read 
without  the  frequent  use  of  parenthetical  marks;  whereas  modern 
authors,  many  of  them  with  less  beauty  and  justness  of  sentiment, 
are  wont  to  adopt  a  freer  and  an  uncomplicated  mode  of  writing. 
Hence,  the  eye  being  but  little  habituated  to  marks  of  parenthesis, 
there  is  a  growing  tendency  to  dispense  with  them,  even  when  the 
structure  of  a  sentence  demands  their  insertion.  Those  intermediate 
expressions,  indeed,  which  are  less  harsh  or  abrupt,  or  do  not  hinder 
the  flow  of  the  sentence  into  which  they  are  thrown,  are  more  easily 
read  by  means  of  commas  than  with  the  help  of  marks  of  parenthe 
sis  ;  but,  on  the  other  hand,  it  is  evident,  that  a  whole  sentence,  or  a 
part  of  a  sentence,  introduced  into  the  body  of  another,  with  which 
it  does  not  harmonize,  is  more  clearly  distinguished,  and  that  the  eye 
is  better  able  to  connect  the  main  portions,  when  the  proper  paren 
thetical  marks  are  introduced.  —  See  pp.  64,  65. 


168  MARKS    OF    PARENTHESIS. 

RULE. 
Words  thrown  obliquely  into  the  Body  of  a  Sentence. 

The  marks  of  parenthesis  enclose  only  those  worda 
which  break  the  unity  of  the  sentence  into  which  they 
are  thrown,  and  which  may  therefore  be  omitted  with 
out  injury  to  its  sense  or  its  construction. 

EXAMPLES. 

1.  The  Egyptian  style  of  architecture  (see  Dr.  Pocock,  not  his  discourses,  but 

his  prints)  was  apparently  the  mother  of  the  Greek. 

2.  If  we  exercise  right  principles  (and  we  cannot  have  them  unless  we  exer 

cise  them),  they  must  be  perpetually  on  the  increase. 

K  E  M  A  It  K  8. 

a.  If  a  point  would  not  be  required  between  those  parts  of  a 
sentence  iu  which  a  parenthesis  occurs,  none  should  be  used  along 
with  the  parenthetical  marks;  as,  u  Are  you  still  (I  fear  you  are)  faj 
from  being  comfortably  settled?"  Here  these  marks  are  unac 
companied  by  any  point,  because,  in  its  simple  state,  the  sentence 
would  be  without  it;  as,  "  Are  you  still  far  from  being  comfortably 
settled?" 

6.  But,  when  a  comma  or  any  other  point  is  necessary  where  the 
incidental  clause  is  thrown  in,  it  should  be  placed  after  the  last  mark 
of  parenthesis;  as,  "  Pride,  in  some  disguise  or  other  (often  a  secret 
to  the  proud  man  himself),  is  the  most  ordinary  spring  of  action 
among  men."  Some  writers  would  punctuate  this  and  similar  sen 
tences  with  the  same  point  before  each  of  the  marks;  as,  "  Left  now 
to  himself,  (malice  could  not  wish  him  a  worse  adviser,)  he  resolves  on 
a  desperate  project."  But  the  former  mode  of  pointing  is  preferable, 
as  it  connects  the  parenthesis  more  closely  with  the  preceding  part 
of  the  sentence,  to  which  it  is  usually  most  related. 

c.  Sometimes  the  parenthetical  portion  of  a  sentence  is  designed 
to  express  either  inquiry  or  an  emotion  of  wonder,  astonishment, 
delight,  &c.,  when  the  main  passage  is  in  its  nature  affirmative.  In 
cases  of  this  kind,  the  point  required,  if  there  were  no  parenthesis, 
is  to  be  inserted  befwe  the  first  mark  under  consideration,  and  that 
which  belongs  to  the  enclosed  portion  before  Uie  second;  as,  "  While 


WORDS    THROWN    INTO    A    SKNTENCE.  169 

the  Christian  desires  the  approbation  of  his  fellow-men,  (and  why 
should  he  not  desire  it?)  he  disdains  to  receive  their  good-will  by 
dishonorable  means." 

d.  On  the  other  hand,  the  parenthesis  is  sometimes  explanatory 
or  affirmative;  and  the  portion  of  the  sentence  with  which  it  is  con 
nected,  interrogative.    Thus:  "  The  righteousness  which  is  of  faith 
epeaketh  on  this  wise:    Say  not  in  thine  heart,  Who  shall  ascend 
into  heaven?  (that  is,  to  bring  Christ  down  from  above;)  or,  Who 
shall  descend  into  the  deep?  (that  is,  to  bring  up  Christ  again  from 
the  dead.)     But  what  saith  it?"     In  this  passage,  the  points  nsed 
with  the  marks  of  parenthesis  are  applied  differently  from  those 
inserted  in  the  example  illustrating  Remark  c ;  but  the  principle  is 
the  same. 

e.  Before  the  first  parenthetical  mark,  however,  no  point  should 
be  used,  if  not  required  in  case  the  parenthetical  words  were  omit 
ted;  as,  "The  rocks  (hard-hearted  varlets!)  melted  not  into  tears, 
nor  did  the  trees  hang  their  heads  in  silent  sorrow." 

f.  Occasionally,  the  parenthesis  is  so  little  connected  with  the 
portion  that  follows  it,  that  a  period  is  required  before  the  last  mark, 
though  no  point  whatever,  or  only  a  comma,  is  necessary  to  unit* 
the  parts  before  and  after  the  parenthesis;  as, — 

The  path  to  bliss  abounds  with  many  a  snare : 

Learning  is  one,  and  wit,  however  rare. 

The  Frenchman,  first  in  literary  fame, 

(Mention  him,  if  you  please.    Voltaire?  —  The  same.) 

With  spirit,  genius,  eloquence,  supplied, 

Lived  long,  wrote  much,  laughed  heartily,  and  died. 

g.  Though,  strictly  speaking,  a  parenthesis  is  an  interruption  of 
the  sense  of  a  passage,  yet  the  marks  indicating  it  may  sometimes 
be  used  to  enclose  a  word,  phrase,  or  clause,  placed  at  the  end  of  a 
sentence ;  as,  "  The  next  night  we  were  introduced  at  the  Prince 
of  Craon's  assembly  (he  has  the  chief  power  in  the  grand  duke's 
absence).    The  princess,"  &c.     But  such  a  mode  of  punctuation  is 
seldom  needed  in  a  style  characterized  either  by  unity  or  elegance. 

h.  In  the  Scriptures,  particularly  in  the  Letters  of  the  Apostle 
Paul,  parentheses  are  found  consisting  of  distinct  sentences,  which 
require  to  be  separated  by  full  points  from  the  context,  as  hi  the 
following  example:  "  Brethren,  be  followers  together  of  me,  and 
mark  them  who  walk  so  as  ye  have  us  for  an  ensample.  (For  many 
walk,  of  whom  I  have  told  you  often,  and  now  tell  you  even  weeping, 
that  they  are  the  enemies  of  the  cross  of  Christ;  whose  end  is  destruo- 


170  MARKS    OF    PARENTHESIS. 

tion,  whose  god  is  their  belly,  and  whose  glory  is  in  their  sname ;  wfto 
mind  earthly  things.)  For  our  conversation  is  in  heaven  ;  from 
whence  also  we  look  for  the  Saviour,  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ." 

».  In  reports  of  speeches,  where  a  particular  reference  is  some 
times  made  either  to  the  present  or  a  former  speaker,  or  where  the 
sense  of  the  auditors  is  expressed  by  approbation  or  disapprobation, 
it  is  usual  to  enclose  the  inserted  words  within  marks  of  parenthesis ; 
as,  "  The  lucid  exposition  which  has  been  made  of  the  object  of  the 
meeting  by  the  Right  Reverend  Bishop  (M'llvaine)  lightens  the  task 
of  recommending  it  to  an  audience  like  this.  I  do  not  know  but  I 
should  act  more  advisedly  to  leave  his  cogent  and  persuasive  state 
ment  to  produce  its  natural  effect,  without  any  attempt  on  my  part 
to  enforce  it.  (No.)" 

j.  Some  writers  would  put  within  parenthetical  marks  such 
words  as  are  thrown  into  sentences  to  correct  grammatical  errors; 
as,  "  I  am  now  as  well  as  when  you  was  (were)  here."  But,  as  will 
be  shown  hereafter,  it  is  better  to  use  brackets,  that  the  language 
introduced  may  be  clearly  distinguished  from  the  original;  as  (to 
take  the  same  example), "  I  am  now  as  well  as  when  you  was  f  were] 
here." 

k.  Sometimes  marks  of  parenthesis  are  used  to  enclose  an  ex 
pression  standing  apart  from  the  context,  and  added  by  way  of 
explanation,  or  in  reference  to  some  other  passage.  Examples 
of  this  kind  may  be  seen  in  the  "  Exercises  to  be  written,"  which 
occur  in  the  present  treatise.  The  same  marks  are  also  used,  par 
ticularly  in  dictionaries  and  in  didactic  and  scientific  works,  to 
enclose  the  Arabic  figures  or  the  letters  of  the  alphabet,  when  enu 
merating  definitions  of  words,  or  subjects  treated  of;  as,  "(A.)  The 
unlawfulness  of  suicide  appears  from  the  following  considerations: 
(1.)  Suicide  is  unlawful  on  account  of  its  general  consequences. 
(2.)  Because  it  is  the  duty  of  the  self-murderer  to  live  in  the  world, 
and  be  useful  in  it.  (3.)  Because  he  deprives  himself  of  all  further 
opportunity  to  prepare  for  happiness  in  a  future  state."  But,  unless 
it  is  necessary  to  distinguish  the  letters  or  figures  from  the  simpler 
modes  of  specification,  the  marks  of  parenthesis  are  better  omitted. 

I.  When  a  parenthetical  expression  is  short,  or  coincides  with  the 
rest  of  the  sentence,  the  marks  of  parenthesis  may  be  omitted,  and 
commas  used  instead ;  as,  "  Every  star,  if  we  may  judge  by  analogy, 
is  a  sun  to  a  system  of  planets."  The  intervening  words  says  /,  »aya 
he,  and  others  of  a  similar  character,  should  all  be  written  only  with 
commas.  —  See  p.  65,  Remark  c. 


WORDS    THROWN    INTO    A    SENTEXCF-.  171 


ORAL    EXEKCISK. 

Show  how  the  Rule  and  the  Remarks  apply  tu  the  punctuation  of  these 
sentences :  — 

I  have  seen  charity  (if  charity  it  may  be  called)  insult  with  an 
air  of  pity. 

The  Tyrians  were  the  first  (if  we  may  believe  what  is  told  us  by 
writers  of  high  antiquity)  who  learned  the  art  of  navigation. 

Pleasure  (whene'er  she  sings,  at  least)  's  a  siren, 
That  lures,  to  flay  alive,  the  young  beginner. 

The  profound  learning  and  philosophical  researches  of  Sir  Wii- 
liam  Jones  (he  was  master  of  twenty-eight  languages)  were  the 
wonder  and  admiration  of  his  contemporaries. 

Know,  then,  this  truth  (enough  for  man  to  know) : 
Virtue  alone  is  happiness  below. 

Whether  writing  prose  or  verse  (for  a  portion  of  the  work  is  in 
prose),  the  author  knows  both  what  to  blot,  and  when  to  stop. 

Do  we,  then  (for  this  one  question  covers  the'whole  ground  of 
this  subject),  —  do  we  observe  the  strict  conditions  of  our  vast  and 
unsurpassably  momentous  work  ? 

The  most  remote  country,  towards  the  East,  of  which  the  Greeks 
had  any  definite  knowledge  (and  their  acquaintance  with  it  was,  at 
the  best,  extremely  imperfect),  was  India. 

While  they  wish  to  please,  (and  why  should  they  not  wish  it?) 
they  disdain  dishonorable  means. 

I  am  so  ill  at  present,  (an  illness  of  my  own  procuring  last  night: 
who  is  perfect?)  that  nothing  but  your  very  great  kindness  could 
make  me  write. 

She  had  managed  this  matter  so  well,  (oh,  how  artful  a  woman 
she  was!)  that  my  father's  heart  was  gone  before  I  suspected  it  was 
in  danger. 

Perhaps  (for  who  can  guess  the  effects  of  chance  ?) 
Here  Hunt  may  box,  or  Mahomet  may  dance. 

Consider  (and  may  the  consideration  sink  deep  into  your  hearts !) 
the  fatal  consequences  of  a  wicked  life. 

Edward,  lo !  to  sudden  fate 

(Weave  we  the  woof:  the  thread  is  spun.) 

Half  of  thy  heart  we  consecrate. 

(The  web  is  wove ;  the  work  is  done.) 


172  MARKS    OF    PARENTHESIS. 

The  air  was  mild  as  summer,  all  corn  was  off  the  ground,  and 
the  sk^-larks  were  singing  aloud  (by  the  way,  I  saw  not  one  at 
Keswick,  perhaps  because  the  place  abounds  in  birds  of  prey). 

She  was  one 
Fit  for  the  model  of  a  statuary 

(A  race  of  mere  impostors  when  all's  done : 
I've  seen  much  finer  women,  ripe  and  real, 
Than  all  the  nonsense  of  their  stone  ideal). 

A  certain  man  was  sick,  named  Lazarus,  of  Bethany,  the  town 
of  Mary  and  her  sister  Martha.  (It  was  that  Mary  who  anointed 
the  Lord  with  ointment,  and  wiped  his  feet  Avith  her  hair,  whose 
brother  Lazarus  was  sick.)  Therefore  his  sisters  sent  unto  him. 
saying,  Lord,  behold,  he  whom  thou  lovest  is  sick. 

From  an  original  and  infinitely  more  lofty  and  intellectual  state 
of  existence,  there  remains  to  man,  according  to  the  philosophy  of 
Plato,  a  dark  remembrance  of  divinity  and  perfection. 

Yet,  in  the  mere  outside  of  nature's  works,  if  I  may  so  express 
myself,  there  is  a  splendor  and  a  magnificence  to  which  even  untu 
tored  minds  cannot  attend  without  great  delight. 

"  You  say,"  said  the  judge,  "  that  the  bag  you  lost  had  a  hundred 
and  ten  dollars  in  it?  "  —  "  Yes,  sir."  —  "  Then,"  replied  the  judge, 
"  this  cannot  be  your  bag,  as  it  contained  but  a  hundred  dollars." 


EXERCISE   TO    BE   WRITTEN. 
Introduce  the  marks  of  parenthesis  into  their  respective  places :  — 

Not  a  few  are  the  incitements  of  the  working  classes  would  they 
were  greater!  to  the  accumulation  of  property,  and  even  to  the 
investment  of  land.  (Remark  e.) 

The  finest  images  which  Joseph  Hall  conjures  up  and  many  of 
them  are  wonderfully  fine  never  displace  the  great  truths  for  the 
sake  of  which  they  are  admitted.  (Remark  a.) 

There  is  nothing  that  we  call  a  good  which  may  not  be  converted 
into  a  curse  that  is,  nothing  that  is  providential  or  external,  and  no* 
of  the  soul;  nor  is  there  an  evil  of  that  nature  which  is  not  tho 
roughly  a  good.  (Remark  b.) 

There  is  a  power  have  you  not  felt  it?  in  the  presence,  conversa 
tion,  and  example  of  a  man  of  strong  principle  and  magnanimity,  to 
lift  us,  at  least  for  the  moment,  from  onr  vulgar  and  tame  habits  of 
thought,  and  to  kindle  some  generous  aspirations  after  the  excel 
lence  which  we  were  made  to  attain.  (Remarks  «,  L) 


WORDS    THROWN    INTO    A    SKNTENCE.  173 

Under  God,  and  by  those  spiritual  aids  which  are  ever  vouchsafed 
in  exact  proportion  to  our  endeavors  to  obtain  them,  how  gracious 
and  glorious  is  this  truth!  we  are  morally  and  religiously,  as  well  as 
intellectually,  the  makers  of  ourselves.  (Remark  c.) 

Sir,  I  hope  the  %  gentleman  that  has  just  sat  down  Mr.  Franoia 
Archer  will  do  me  the  justice  to  believe,  that,  as  I  receive  little 
satisfaction  from  being  offended,  so  I  am  not  sedulous  to  find  out 
cause  for  offence.  Applause.  (Remark  ».) 

I  mention  these  instances,  not  to  undervalue  science  it  would  be 
folly  to  attempt  that;  for  science,  when  true  to  its  name,  is  true 
knowledge,  but  to  show  that  its  name  is  sometimes  wrongfully 
assumed,  and  that  its  professors,  when  not  guided  by  humility,  may 
prove  but  misleading  counsellors.  (Remark  b.) 

And  he  said  unto  them  that  stood  by,  Take  from  him  the  pound, 
and  give  it  to  him  that  hath  ten  pounds.  And  they  said  unto  him, 
Lord,  he  hath  ten  pounds.  For  I  say  unto  you,  that  unto  every  one 
who  hath  shall  be  given;  and  from  him  that  hath  not,  even  that 
which  he  hath  shall  be  taken  away  from  him.  (Remarks  /,  k.) 

"  Young  master  was  alive  last  Whitsuntide,"  said  the  coachman. 
**  Whitsuntide !  alas ! "  cried  Trim, extending  his  right  arm,  and  falling 
instantly  into  the  same  attitude  in  which  he  read  the  sermon,  "  what 
is  Whitsuntide,  Jonathan  "  for  that  was  the  coachman's  name,  "  or 
Shrovetide,  or  any  other  tide  or  time,  to  this? "  (Remark  b.) 

No  lesson  of  a  practical  kind  and  all  lessons  ought  to  be  practical 
requires  to  be  so  often  repeated  as  that  which  enjoins  upon  the  mind 
a  state  of  passivity;  for  what  an  electrical  thing  is  it!  How  does  it 
dart  forth  after  this  and  that,  flitting  from  sweet  to  sweet  for  it  never 
willingly  tastes  of  bitter  things,  and  "feeding  itself  without  fear"! 
(Remarks  a,  b.) 

Inquiring  the  road  to  Mirlington,  I  addressed  him  by  the  name  of 
Honesty.  The  fellow  whether  to  show  his  wit  before  his  mistress, 
or  whether  he  was  displeased  with  my  familiarity,  I  cannot  tell 
directed  me  to  follow  a  part  of  my  face  which,  I  was  well  assured, 
could  be  no  guide  to  me,  and  that  other  parts  would  follow  of  con 
sequence.  (Remarks  a,  b.) 

Socrates  has  often  expressly  said,  that  he  considered  human  life 
in  general  and  without  doubt  the  state  of  the  world  in  his  day  must 
have  eminently  tended  to  make  him  so  consider  it  in  the  light  of  an 
imprisonment  of  the  soul,  or  of  a  malady  under  which  the  nobler 
spirit  is  condemned  to  linger,  until  it  be  set  free  and  purified  by  the 
healing  touch  of  death.  (Remark  a.) 


174 


SECT.  III. —  THE    DASH. 


The  DASH  [  —  ]  is  a  straight  horizontal  line,  used 
for  the  purposes  specified  in  the  following  rules. 

R  K  M  A  K  K  8. 

a.  Notwithstanding  the  advantages  resulting  from  the  proper  use 
of  the  dash,  the  most  indistinct  conceptions  have  been  formed  in 
regard  to  its  nature  and  its  applications.  Many  authors,  some  of 
them  of  high  standing  in  the  literary  world,  as  well  as  a  majority 
of  letter-writers,  are  wont  to  employ  this  mark  so  indiscriminately 
as  to  prove  that  they  are  acquainted  neither  with  its  uses,  nor  with 
those  of  the  other  points  whose  places  it  is  made  to  supply.  Some 
use  it  instead  of  a  comma;  others,  instead  of  a  semicolon;  not  a 
few,  where  the  colon  is  required ;  and  a  host,  between  every  sentence 
and  after  every  paragraph.  Others  go  even  further,  by  introducing 
it  between  the  most  commonplace  words  and  phrases,  apparently  to 
apprise  the  reader,  through  the  medium  of  his  eye,  what  perhaps  he 
could  not  discover  by  his  judgment,  that  the  composition  before  him 
is  distinguished  for  brilliance  of  diction,  tenderness  of  sentiment,  or 
force  of  thought.  But  surely  the  unnecessary  profusion  of  straight 
lines,  particularly  on  a  printed  page,  is  offensive  to  good  taste,  is  an 
index  of  the  dasher's  profound  ignorance  of  the  art  of  punctuation, 
and,  so  far  from  helping  to  bring  out  the  sense  of  an  author,  is  better 
adapted  for  turning  into  nonsense  some  of  his  finest  passages. 

b.  From  these  abuses  in  the  application  of  the  dash,  some  writers 
have  strongly  questioned  its  utility  in  any  way  as  a  sentential  mark. 
So  long,  however,  as  modes  of  thought  are  different,  and  the  style 
of  composition  corresponds  with  the  peculiarities  of  an  author's 
mind,  so  long  wih1  it  be  necessary  occasionally  to  use  the  dash. 
The  majestic  simplicity  of  Scripture  language  may  dispense  with  the 
use  of  this  mark;  but  the  affected  and  abrupt  style  of  a  Sterne, 
the  broken  and  natural  colloquialisms  of  a  Shakspeare,  the  diffusive 
eloquence  of  a  Chalmers,  and  the  parenthetical  inversions  of  a 
Bentham  or  a  Brougham,  will  scarcely  admit  of  being  pointed  only 
with  the  more  common  and  grammatical  stops. 


BROKEN   AND    EPIGRAMMATIC    SENTENCES.       17i> 

RULE     I. 
Broken  and  Epigrammatic  Sentences. 

The  dash  is  used  where  a  sentence  breaks  off  ab 
ruptly,  and  the  subject  is  changed ;  where  the  sense  is 
suspended,  and  is  continued  after  a  short  interruption  •, 
where  a  significant  or  long  pause  is  required ;  and 
where  there  is  an  unexpected  or  epigrammatic  turn  in 
the  sentiment. 

EXAMPLES. 

1.  Was  there  ever  a  bolder  captain  of  a  more  valiant  band?    Was  there 

ever  —  but  I  scorn  to  boast. 

2.  Then  the  eye  of  a  child  —  who  can  look  unmoved  into  that  "  well  unde 

nted,"  in  which  heaven  itself  seems  to  be  reflected? 
8.  You  have  given  the  command  to  a  person  of  illustrious  birth,  of  ancient 

family,  of  innumerable  statues,  but  —  of  no  experience. 
4.  HERE  LIES  THE  GREAT —  False  marble !  where?     Nothing  but  sordid  dust 

lies  here. 

REMARKS. 

a.  In  the  preceding  examples,  no  grammatical  point  is  used  with 
the  dash,  because,  in  the  first  two  and  the  last  one,  none  would  seem 
to  be  required  if  the  sentences  broken  off  had  been  finished;  and 
because,  in  the  third,  the  word  "  but,"  before  the  mark  showing  the 
suspensive  pause,  is  intimately  connected  in  sense  with  the  phrase 
that  follows  it.    But  if  the  parts  of  a  sentence,  between  which  the 
pause  of  suspension  is  to  be  made,  are  susceptible  of  being  gram 
matically  divided,  their  proper  point  should  be  inserted  before  the 
dash;  as,  "  He  sometimes  counsel  takes,  —  and  sometimes  snuff." 

b.  Passages  of  the  following  kind,  in  which  an  unfinished  ques 
tion  is  taken  up  immediately  afterwards  in  an  alternate  form,  may 
be  brought  under  the  operation  of  the  present  rule ;  the  dash,  with 
a  comma  before  it,  being  placed  after  the  commencing  portion  cf  the 
sentence :  "  Who  could  best  describe  to  you  a  country,  —  he  who 
had  travelled  its  entire  surface,  or  he  who  had  just  landed  on  its 
shores?     Who  could  best  breathe  into  you  the  spint  of  Christian 
love,  —  he  who  had  scarcely  learned  to  control  his  own  passions,  or 
Jesus  of  Nazareth?" 


176  THE    DASH. 

ORAL  EXERCISE. 
Why  art  dashes  inserted  in  the  following  sentences  1  — 

Men  will  wrangle  for  religion,  write  for  it,  fight  for  it,  any  thing 
but  —  live  for  it 

Greece,  Carthage,  Rome,  —  where  are  they?  The  pages  of  his 
tory  —  how  is  it  that  they  are  so  dark  and  sad  ? 

If  you  will  give  me  your  attention,  I  will  show  you  —  but  stop .' 
I  do  not  know  that  you  wish  to  see. 

Leonidas,  Cato,  Phocion,  Tell,  —  one  peculiarity  marks  them  ali: 
they  dared  and  suffered  for  their  native  land. 

If  thou  art  he,  so  much  respected  once  —  but,  oh,  how  fallen! 
how  degraded ! 

The  good  woman  was  allowed  by  everybody,  except  her  husband, 
to  be  a  sweet-tempered  lady  —  when  not  in  liquor. 

I  take  —  eh !  oh !  —  as  much  exercise  —  eh !  —  as  I  can,  Madam 
Gout.  You  know  my  sedentary  state. 

Hast  thou  —  but  how  shall  I  ask  a  question  which  must  bring 
tears  into  so  many  eyes  ? 

When  Jesus  saw  his  mother,  and  the  disciple  standing  by  whom 
he  loved,  he  saith  unto  his  mother,  Woman,  —  behold  —  thy  son! 
Then  saith  he  to  the  disciple,  Behold  —  thy  mother ! 

When  the  poor  victims  were  bayoneted,  clinging  round  the  knees 
of  the  soldiers,  would  my  friend  —  but  I  cannot  pursue  the  strain  of 
niy  interrogation. 

"  Lord  Cardinal !  if  thou  think'st  on  heaven's  bliss, 
Hold  up  thy  hand;  make  signal  of  that  hope."  — 
He  dies,  and  makes  no  sign. 

Approaching  the  head  of  the  bed,  where  my  poor  young  com 
panion,  with  throat  uncovered,  was  lying,  with  one  hand  the  monster 
grasped  his  knife,  and  with  the  other  —  ah,  cousin !  —  with  the  othe» 
he  seized  —  a  ham. 

Good  people  all,  with  one  accord, 

Lament  for  Madam  Blaize, 
Who  never  wanted  a  good  word  — 

From  those  who  spoke  her  praise. 

A  "  Hamlet,"  a  "  Paradise  Lost,"  and  a  St.  Peter's  Church,  — 
are  they  not,  each  after  its  kind,  creations  to  which  nothing  can  be 
added,  and  from  which  nothing  can  be  taken  away,  without  disturb- 
ance  of  their  serene,  absolute  completeness  ? 


BROKEN    AND    EPIGRAMMATIC    SENTENCES.       177 

EXERCISE   TO   BE   WRITTEN. 

In  the  following  sentences,  insert  dashes  wherever  necessary  t  — 

"I  forgot  my"  "Your  portmanteau?"  hastily  interrupted 
Thomas.  "The  eame." 

Horror  burst  the  bands  of  sleep ;  but  my  feelings  words  are  too 
weak,  too  powerless,  to  express  them. 

To  reward  men  according  to  their  worth  alas !  the  perfection  of 
this,  we  know,  amounts  to  the  millennium. 

"  Please  your  honor,"  quoth  Trim,  "  the  Inquisition  is  the  vilest ' 
"  Prithee,  spare  thy  description,  Trim.  I  hate  the  very, name  of  it,' 
said  my  father. 

Frankness,  suavity,  tenderness,  benevolence,  breathed  through 
their  exercise.  And  his  family  But  he  is  gone:  that  noble  heap 
beats  no  more. 

Thou  dost  not  mean 

No,  no :  thou  wouldst  not  have  me  make 

A  trial  of  my  skill  upon  my  child ! 

What  beside  a  few  mouldering  and  brittle  ruins,  which  time  H 
imperceptibly  touching  down  into  dust,  what,  beside  these,  remain! 
of  the  glory,  the  grandeur,  the  intelligence,  the  supremacy,  of  thi 
Grecian  republics,  or  the  empire  of  Rome? 

In  thirty  years  the  western  breeze  had  not  fanned  his  blood:  h* 
had  seen  no  sun,  no  moon,  in  all  that  time ;  nor  had  the  voice  of 
friend  or  kinsman  breathed  through  his  lattice.  His  children  but 
here  my  heart  began  to  bleed,  and  I  was  forced  to  go  on  with  anothe* 
part  of  the  portrait. 

The  people  lifted  up  their  voices,  and  blessed  the  good  St.  Nicho 
las  ;  and,  from  that  time  foi  th,  the  sage  Van  Kortland  was  held  in 
m^re  honor  than  ever  for  his  great  talent  at  dreaming,  and  was 
pronounced  a  most  useful  citizen  and  a  right  good  man  when  he 
was  asleep. 

I  now  solemnly  declare,  that,  so  far  as  personal  happiness  is  con 
cerned,  I  would  infinitely  prefer  to  pass  my  life  as  a  member  of  the 
oar,  in  the  practice  of  my  profession,  according  to  the  ability  which 
God  has  given  me,  to  that  life  which  I  have  led,  and  in  which  I  have 
held  places  of  high  trust,  honor,  respectability,  and  obloquy. 

At  church,  in  silks  and  satins  new, 

With  hoop  of  monstrous  size, 
She  never  slumbered  in  her  pew 

But  when  she  shut  her  eye*. 


178  THE    DASH. 

RULE     II. 

A  Concluding  Clause  on  which  other  Expressions  depend, 

A  dash  should  be  used  after  several  words  or  ex 
pressions,  when  these  constitute  a  nominative  which 
is  broken  off,  and  resumed  in  a  new  form ;  and  after 
a  long  member,  or  a  series  of  phrases  or  clauses,  when 
they  lead  to  an  important  conclusion. 

EXAMPLES. 

1.  That  patriotism  which,  catching  its  inspirations  from  the  immortal 
God,  and  leaving  at  an  immeasurable  distance  below  all  lesser,  grovelling, 
personal  interests  and  feelings,  animates  and  prompts  to  deeds  of  self-sacri 
fice,  of  valor,  of  devotion,  and  of  death  itself,  —  that  is  public  virtue;  that 
is  the  noblest,  the  sublimest,  of  all  public  virtues. 

2.  When  ambition  practises  the  monstrous  doctrine  of  millions  made  for 
individuals,  their  playthings,  to  be  demolished  at  their  caprice;   sporting 
wantonly  with  the  rights,  the  peace,  the  comforts,  the  existence,  of  nations, 
as  if  their  intoxicated  pride  would,  if  possible,  make  God's  earth  itself  their 
football,  —  is  not  the  good  man  indignant? 

3.  The  infinity  of  worlds,  and  the  narrow  spot  of  earth  which  we  call  our 
country  or  our  home;  the  eternity  of  ages,  and  the  few  hours  of  life;  the 
almighty  power  of  God,  and  human  nothingness,  —  it  is  impossible  to  think 
of  these  in  succession,  without  a  feeling  like  that  which  is  produced  by  the 
publimest  eloquence. 

REMARKS. 

a.  Instead  of  a  comma  and  a  dash,  which  are  used  in  these  exam 
pies  immediately  before  the  finishing  clause  of  the  sentence,  some 
writers  and  printers  would  insert  a  semicolon  or  a  colon;  but  the 
punctuation  adopted  above  seems  to  exhibit  the  construction  and 
sense  to  more  advantage,  and  to  be  more  in  harmony  with  the 
rhetorical  character  of  such  passages. 

6.  On  the  other  hand,  many  would  put  dashes,  in  the  third 
example,  instead  of  the  semicolons  which  we  have  introduced  The 
mode  of  punctuation  here  exhibited  seems  to  be  preferable,  on 
account  of  its  greater  definiteness;  showing,  as  it  does,  by  the 
insertion,  between  the  particulars  of  the  compound  series,  of  a  point 
different  from  that  used  before  the  last  portion  of  the  sentence,  both 
the  similarities  and  the  distinction  which  exist  between  its  various 
parts.  —  See  p.  120,  Rule;  p.  121,  c,  e,  /. 


A    CONCLUDING    CLAUSE.  179 

ORAL,  EXERCISE. 
State  tcAy  dashes  are  inserted  in  the  following1  sentences .  — 

To  pull  down  the  false  and  to  build  up  the  true,  and  to  uphold 
what  there  is  of  true  in  the  old,  —  let  this  be  our  endeavor. 

At  school  and  at  college,  the  great  vision  of  Rome  broods  over  tho 
mind  with  a  power  which  is  never  suspended  or  disputed:  her  great 
men,  her  beautiful  legends,  her  history,  the  height  to  which  she  rose, 
and  the  depth  to  which  she  fell,  —  these  make  up  one-half  of  a  stu 
dent's  ideal  world. 

The  noble  indignation  with  which  Emmett  repelled  the  charge  of 
treason  against  his  country,  the  eloquent  vindication  of  his  name, 
and  his  pathetic  appeal  to  posterity,  in  the  hopeless  hour  of  condem 
nation, —  all  these  entered  deeply  into  every  generous  bosom;  and 
even  his  enemies  lamented  the  stern  policy  that  dictated  his  exe 
cution. 

That  gush  of  human  sympathy  which  brought  tears  into  Charles 
Lamb's  eyes,  when  he  mingled  in  the  living  tide  which  pours  through 
the  streets  of  London,  and  he  felt  his  heart  beat  responsive  to  the 
warm  pulse  of  joy  as  it  throbbed  past'  him,  —  what  was  it  but 
the  vivid  consciousness  of  God ;  the  breath  of  the  Father,  softening  the 
bosom  over  which  it  swept,  and  filling  it  with  his  own  merciful  ten 
derness  towards  the  great  family  of  man? 

The  grasp  of  a  child's  little  hand  around  one  of  our  fingers;  its 
mighty  little  crow,  when  excited  by  the  playfulness  of  its  nurse; 
its  manful  spring  upon  the  little  woolpack  legs  that  refuse  to  bear  its 
weight,  —  are  all  traits  of  more  or  less  pleasantness.  Every  step  in 
the  attainment  of  physical  power;  every  new  trait  of  intelligence, 
as  they  one  by  one  arise  in  the  infantine  intellect,  like  the  glory 
of  night,  starting  star  by  star  into  the  sky,  —  is  hailed  with  a  heart- 
burst  of  rapture  and  surprise,  as  if  we  had  never  known  any  thing 
go  clever  or  so  captivating  before. 

The  affections  which  spread  beyond  ourselves,  and  stretch  far 
into  futurity;  the  workings  of  mighty  passions,  which  seem  to  arm 
the  soul  with  an  almost  superhuman  energy;  the  innocent  and 
irrepressible  joy  of  infancy;  the  bloom  and  buoyancy  and  dazzling 
hopes  of  youth ;  the  throbbings  of  the  heart,  when  it  first  wakes  to 
love,  and  dreams  of  a  happiness  too  vast  for  earth;  woman,  with 
her  beauty  and  grace  and  gentleness,  and  fulness  of  feeling,  and 
depth  of  affection,  and  blushes  of  purity,  and  the  tones  and  looks 
which  only  a  mother's  heart  can  inspire,  —  these  are  all  poetical. 


180  THE    DASH. 

EXERCISES   TO   BE   WKITTEN. 
Let  dashe*  be  introduced  into  these  sentences,  in  accordance  with,  the  Rule  .•  — 

The  collision  of  mind  with  mind;  the  tug  and  strain  of  intel 
lectual  wrestling;  the  tension  of  every  mental  fibre,  as  the  student 
reaches  forth  to  take  hold  of  the  topmost  pinnacle  of  thought ;  the 
shout  of  joy  that  swells  up  from  gladsome  voices,  as  he  stands  upon 
the  summit,  with  error  under  his  feet,  these  make  men. 

The  modest  flower,  nestling  in  the  meadow-grass;  the  happy  tree, 
as  it  laughs  and  riots  in  the  wind;  the  moody  cloud,  knitting  its 
brow  in  solemn  thought;  the  river  that  has  been  flowing  all  night 
long;  the  sound  of  the  thirsty  earth,  as  it  drinks  and  relishes  the 
rain,  these  things  are  as  a  full  hymn  when  they  flow  from  the  melody 
of  nature,  but  an  empty  rhythm  when  scanned  by  the  finger  of  art. 

If  we  would  see  the  foundations  laid  broadly  and  deeply  on  which 
the  fabric  of  this  country's  liberties  shall  rest  to  the  remotest  gene 
rations;  if  we  would  see  her  carry  forward  the  work  of  political 
reformation,  and  rise  the  bright  and  morning  star  of  freedom  over 
a  benighted  world,  let  us  elevate  the  intellectual  and  moral  character 
of  every  class  of  our  citizens,  and  especially  let  us  imbue  them 
thoroughly  with  the  principles  of  the  gospel  of  Jesus  Christ. 

Above  all  the  fret  and  tumult  of  actual  existence,  above  the 
decrees  of  earth's  nominal  sovereigns,  above  all  the  violence  and 
evil  which  render  what  is  called  history  so  black  a  record  of  folly 
and  crime,  above  all  these,  there  have  ever  been  certain  luminous 
ideas,  pillars  of  fire  in  the  night  of  time,  which  have  guided  and 
guarded  the  great  army  of  humanity,  in  its  slow  and  hesitating,  but 
still  onward,  progress  in  knowledge  and  freedom. 

When,  at  God's  decree,  human  greatness  from  all  its  state  falls 
to  the  ground  like  a  leaf;  when  death,  usually  doing  its  work  in 
silence,  seems  to  cry  out  over  the  bier  of  the  high  and  distinguished; 
when  some  figure,  that  has  moved  with  imposing  tread  in  our  sight, 
towers  still  more  out  of  the  dark  valley;  when  the  drapery  of  mourn 
ing  unrolls  itself  from  private  chambers  to  line  the  streets,  darken 
the  windows,  and  hang  the  heavens  in  black;  when  the  stroke  of  the 
bell  adds  a  sabbath  solemnity  to  the  days  of  the  week,  and  the  boom 
of  guns,  better  fired  over  the  dead  than  at  the  living,  echoes  all 
through  our  territory;  while  the  wheels  of  business  stop,  and  labor 
leans  its  head,  and  trade  foregoes  its  gains,  and  communication, 
save  on  one  theme,  ceases,  we  may  well  ask  the  meaning  and 
cause. 


A    CONCLUDING    CLAUSE.  181 

Insert  both  semicolons  and  dashes  in  their  respective  places :  — 

Wherever  on  this  earth  an  understanding  is  active  to  know 
and  serve  the  truth  wherever  a  heart  beats  with  kind  and  pure  and 
generous  affections  wherever  a  home  spreads  its  sheltering  wing 
over  husband  and  wife,  and  parent  and  child,  there,  under  every 
diversity  of  outward  circumstance,  the  true  worth  and  dignity  and 
peace  of  man's  soul  are  within  reach  of  all. 

When,  in  addition  to  the  mere  spectacle  and  love  of  nature,  there 
is  a  knowledge  of  it  too  when  the  laws  and  processes  are  under 
stood  which  surround  us  with  wonder  and  beauty  every  day  when 
the  great  cycles  are  known,  through  which  the  material  creation 
passes  without  decay,  then,  in  the  immensity  of  human  hopes,  there 
appears  nothing  which  need  stagger  faith  it  seems  no  longer  strange 
that  the  mind  which  interprets  the  material  creation  should  survive 
its  longest  period,  and  be  admitted  to  its  remoter  realms. 

The  infinite  importance  of  what  he  has  to  do  the  goading  convic 
tion  that  it  must  be  done  the  utter  inability  of  doing  it  the  dreadful 
combination,  in  his  mind,  of  both  the  necessity  and  incapacity  the 
despair  of  crowding  the  concerns  of  an  age  into  a  moment  the 
impossibility  of  beginning  a  repentance  which  should  have  been 
completed,  of  setting  about  a  peace  which  should  have  been  con 
cluded,  of  suing  for  a  pardon  which  should  have  been  obtained, 
all  these  complicated  concerns  without  strength,  without  time,  with 
out  hope  with  a  clouded  memory,  a  disjointed  reason,  a  wounded 
spirit,  undefined  terrors,  remembered  sins,  anticipated  punishment,  an 
angry  God,  an  accusing  conscience,  all  together  intolerably  augment 
the  sufferings  of  a  body  which  stands  in  little  need  of  the  insupporta 
ble  burthen  of  a  distracted  mind  to  aggravate  its  torments. 

If  thou  art  a  child,  and  hast  ever  added  a  sorrow  to  the  soul,  or 
a  furrow  to  the  silvered  brow,  of  an  affectionate  parent  if  thou  art  a 
husband,  and  hast  ever  caused  the  fond  bosom  that  ventured  its 
•whole  happiness  in  thy  arms  to  doubt  one  moment  of  thy  kindness 
or  thy  truth  if  thou  art  a  friend,  and  hast  ever  wronged,  in  thought, 
word,  or  deed,  the  spirit  that  generously  confided  in  thee  if  thou  art 
a  lover,  and  hast  ever  given  one  unmerited  pang  to  that  true  heart 
that  now  lies  cold  and  still  beneath  thy  feet,  then  be  sure  that  every 
unkind  look,  every  ungracious  word,  every  ungentle  action,  will 
come  thronging  back  upon  thy  memory,  and  knocking  dolefully  at 
thy  soul  then  be  sure  that  thou  wilt  lie  down  sorrowing  and  repentant 
on  the  grave,  and  utter  the  unheard  groan,  and  pour  the  unavailing 
tear,  more  deep,  more  bitter,  because  unheard  and  unavailing. 


182  THE    DASH. 

RULE    III. 
The  Echo,  or  Words  repeated  Rhetorically. 

The  dash  is  used  before  what  is  termed  by  elocu 
tionists  the  echo;  that  is,  before  a  word  or  phrase 
repeated  in  an  exclamatory  or  an  emphatic  manner. 

EXAMPLES. 

1.  Shall  I,  who  was  born,  I  might  almost  say,  but  certainly  brought  up, 
in  the  tent  of  my  father,  that  most  excellent  general  —  shall  I,  the  conqueror 
of  Spain  and  Gaul,  and  not  only  of  the  Alpine  nations,  but  of  the  Alps 
themselves  —  shall  I  compare  myself  with  this  half-year  captain?  —  a  cap 
tain,  before  whom  should  one  place  the  two  armies  without  their  ensigns,  I 
am  persuaded  he  would  not  know  to  which  of  them  he  is  consul. 

2.  Newton  was  a  Christian  ;  —  Newton !  whose  mind  burst  forth  from  the 
fetters  cast  by  nature  on  our  finite  conceptions; — Newton!  whose  science 
was  truth,  and  the  foundation  of  whose  knowledge  of  it  was  philosophy;  not 
those  visionary  and  arrogant  presumptions  which  too  often  usurp  its  name, 
but  philosophy  resting  on  the  basis  of  mathematics,  which,  like  figures,  can 
not  lie;  —  Newton!  who  carried  the  line  and  rule  to  the  utmost  barriers  of 
creation,  and  explored  the  principles  by  which,  no  doubt,  all  created  matter 
is  held  together  and  exists. 

REMARKS. 

a.  Before  the  iteration  of  the  words  "  shall  I,"  in  the  first  example, 
dashes  are  put  without  any  other  point,  to  show  that  what  precedes 
is  unfinished.  After  the  expression,  "  this  half-year  captain,"  a  note 
of  interrogation  is  placed,  because  the  question  terminates  here. 

6.  In  the  second  example,  semicolons  are  introduced  before  the 
dashes,  in  order  to  separate  with  greater  clearness  the  various  mem 
bers,  some  of  which  are  divisible  into  clauses.  But,  in  the  more 
simple  kinds  of  sentences  (as  in  the  first  five  under  the  Oral  Exer 
cise,  p.  183),  a  comma  will  be  sufficient  before  the  dash. 

c.  After  expressions  of  the  kind  under  consideration,  it  is  seldom 
necessary  to  put  the  exclamatory  mark ;  as,  "  Edmund  Burke  was  A 
man  who  added  to  the  pride,  not  merely  of  his  country,  but  of  his 
species ;  —  a  man  who  robed  the  very  soul  of  inspiration  in  the 
splendors  of  a  pure  and  overpowering  eloquence."  The  construction 
of  the  language  used,  and  the  nature  of  the  sentiment,  will  readily 
indicate  what  point,  if  any,  should  be  inserted. 


THE    ECHO.  183 

d.  When  a  parenthesis  is  introduced  before  an  iterated  expression, 
the  dash  should  both  precede  and  follow  the  parenthetical  marks: 
aa,— 

When  I  am  old  —  (and,  oh,  how  soon 
Will  life's  sweet  morning  yield  to  noon, 
And  uoon's  broad,  fervid,  earnest  light 
Be  shaded  in  the  solemn  night! 
Till  like  a  story  well-nigh  told 
Will  seem  my  life,  when  I  am  old), — 
When  1  am  old,  this  breezy  earth 
Will  lose  for  me  its  voice  of  mirth; 
The  streams  will  have  an  undertone 
Of  sadness  not  by  right  their  own. 

e.  The  dash  is  also  sometimes  used  before  that  which  is  merely 
an  echo  of  the  tliouylit  previously  expressed;  or,  in  other  words, 
when  the  same  idea  is  repeated  in  a  different  form  in  the  same 
sentence ;  as,  "  Our  own  nature  is  the  first  and  nearest  of  all  reali 
ties, —  the  corntr-stone  of  the  entire  fabric  of  truth."     In  many  of 
these  passages,  however,  when  they  are  of  a  less  rhetorical  nature, 
the  dash  may  be  omitted;  as,  "There  is  nothing  more  prejudicial 
to  the  grandeur  of  buildings  than  to  abound,   in  angles;   a  fault 
obvious  in  many,  and  owing  to  an  inordinate  thirst  for  variety, 
which,  whenever  it  prevails,  is  sure  to  leave  very  little  true  taste  " 


ORAL   EXERCISE. 

Explain  the  reason  why  dashes  are  inserted  in  these  sentences  s- 

You  speak  like  a  boy,  —  like  a  boy  who  thinks  the  old,  gnarlod 
oak  can  be  twisted  as  easily  as  the  young  sapling. 

Never  is  virtue  left  without  sympathy,  —  sympathy  dearer  and 
tenderer  for  the  misfortune  that  has  tried  it,  and  proved  its  fidelity. 

There  are,  indeed,  I  acknowledge,  to  the  honor  of  the  human 
kind,  —  there  are  persons  in  the  world  who  feel  that  the  possession 
of  good  dispositions  is  their  best  reward. 

The  faithful  man  acts  not  from  impulse,  but  from  conviction,  — 
conviction  of  duty,  —  the  most  stringent,  solemn,  and  inspiring  con 
viction  that  can  sway  the  mind. 

All  great  discoveries,  not  purely  accidental,  will  be  gifts  to  in 
sight  ;  and  the  true  man  of  science  will  be  he  who  can  best  ascend 
into  the  thoughts  of  God,  —  he  who  burns  before  the  throne  in  the 
clearest,  purest,  mildest  light  of  reason. 


184  THE    DASH. 

Man  is  led  to  the  conception  of  a  Power  and  an  Intelligence  supe 
rior  to  his  own,  and  adequate  to  the  production  and  maintenance  of 
all  that  he  sees  in  nature ;  —  a  Power  and  Intelligence  to  which  he 
may  well  apply  the  term  infinite. 

Can  Parliament  be  so  dead  to  its  dignity  and  duty  as  to  give  its 
sanction  to  measures  thus  obtruded  and  forced  upon  them  V  —  mea 
sures,  my  lords,  which  have  reduced  this  late-flourishing  kingdom 
to  scorn  and  contempt. 

He  hears  the  raven's  cry;  and  shall  he  not  hear,  and  will  he  not 
avenge,  the  wrongs  that  his  nobler  animals  suffer?  —  wrongs  thft 
cry  out  against  man,  from  youth  to  age,  in  the  city  and  in  the  field, 
by  the  way  arid  by  the  fireside. 

The  voices  in  the  waves  are  always  whispering  to  Florence,  in 
their  ceaseless  murmuring,  of  love;  —  of  love  eternal  and  illimita 
ble,  not  bounded  by  the  confines  of  this  world  or  by  the  end  of  time, 
but  ranging  still,  beyond  the  sea,  beyond  the  sky,  to  the  invisible 
country  far  away. 

'Twas  my  cradle  in  childhood,  —  that  ocean  so  proud; 
And  in  death  let  me  have  its  bright  waves  for  my  shroud; 
Let  no  sad  tears  be  shed,  when  I  die,  over  me ; 
But  bury  me  deep  in  the  sea,  —  in  the  sea. 

Then  I  told  what  a  tall,  upright,  graceful  person  their  great-grand 
mother  Field  once  was,  and  how  in  her  youth  she  was  esteemed  the 
best  dancer — (here  Alice's  little  right  foot  played  an  involuntary 
movement,  till,  upon  my  looking  grave,  it  desisted)  —  the  best 
dancer,  I  was  saying,  in  the  county,  till  a  cruel  disease,  called  a 
cancer,  came,  and  bowed  her  down  with  pain ;  but  it  could  never 
bend  her  good  spirits,  or  make  them  stoop,  but  they  were  still  upright, 
because  she  was  so  good  and  religious. 

Harriet  complied,  and  read ;  —  read  the  eternal  book  for  all  the 
weary  and  the  heavy-laden ;  for  all  the  wretched,  fallen,  and  neglected 
of  this  earth ;  —  read  the  blessed  history  in  which  the  blind,  lame, 
palsied  beggar,  the  criminal,  the  woman  stained  with  shame,  the 
shunned  of  all  our  dainty  clay,  have  each  a  portion  that  no  human 
pride,  indifference,  or  sophistry,  through  all  the  ages  that  this  world 
shall  last,  can  take  away,  or  by  the  thousandth  atom  of  a  grain 
reduce ;  —  read  the  ministry  of  Him  who,  through  the  round  of 
human  life,  and  all  its  hopes  and  griefs,  from  birth  to  death,  from 
infancy  to  age,  had  sweet  compassion  for  and  interest  in  its  every 
scene  and  stage,  its  every  suffering  and  sorrow. 


THE    EC  110.  Itf 

EXERCISE   TO   BE    WRITTEN 
Let  dashes  be  inserted  before  the  echoes  in  Vie  following  nassagcs:  — 

We  must  take  a  wakeful  and  active  interest,  that  seeks  them  out; 
on  interest  that  examines  into  the  causes  of  their  degradation,  and 
labors  to  raise  them  to  a  more  just  social  position;  an  interest  that 
comes  from  faith  in  man  as  the  child  of  God,  and  from  faith  in  God 
as  the  heavenly  Father;  an  interest  that  never  despairs  of  the  fallen 
or  the  lost,  but  makes  Him  who  was  the  friend  of  publicans  and 
sinners  its  model. 

Truth  should  be  enshrined  in  our  inmost  hearts,  and  become  the 
object  of  our  fervent  contemplation,  our  earnest  desire  and  aspira 
tion.  Consecrate,  above  all  things,  truth,  whatever  prejudices  it 
may  proscribe,  whatever  advantages  it  may  forfeit,  and  whatever 
privileges  it  may  level ;  truth,  though  its  recompense  should  be  the 
privations  of  poverty  or  the  darkness  of  the  dungeon;  truth,  the  first 
lesson  for  the  child,  and  the  last  word  of  the  dying;  truth,  the  world's 
regenerator,  God's  image  on  earth,  the  essence  of  virtue  in  the  cha 
racter,  the  foundation  of  happiness  in  the  heart;  truth,  the  whole 
truth,  and  nothing  but  the  truth. 

It  is  the  sorrow  which  draws  sweetness  from  the  affections,  and 
is  hallowed  by  conscience,  the  sorrow  that  mingles  its  sanctifying 
drop  in  the  cup  of  virtuous  love  and  pure-souled  friendship,  the 
sorrow  which  mortifies  young  ambition,  and  tempers  presumptuous 
enthusiasm,  the  sorrow  which  makes  us  feel  our  weakness  and  in 
efficiency,  when  we  have  put  forth  earnest  efforts  to  serve  the  truth 
and  aid  human  progress,  this  is  the  sorrow  which  chastens  and  exalts 
the  spirit,  and  fills  it  with  a  noble  seriousness,  and  binds  it  by  holier 
ties  to  that  ideal  of  perfection  and  blessedness  which  never  perishes 
from  the  trust  and  the  aspiration  of  the  true  servants  of  God. 

It  remains  with  you,  then,  to  decide,  whether  that  freedom  at 
whose  voice  the  kingdoms  of  Europe  awoke  from  the  sleep  of  ages, 
to  run  a  career  of  virtuous  emulation  in  every  thing  great  and  good ; 
the  freedom  which  dispelled  the  mists  of  superstition,  and  invited 
the  nations  to  behold  their  God ;  whose  magic  torch  kindled  the  rays 
of  genius,  tha  enthusiasm  of  poetry,  and  the  flame  of  eloquence; 
the  freedom  which  poured  into  our  lap  opulence  and  arts,  and 
embellished  life  with  innumerable  institutions  and  improvements, 
till  it  became  a  theatre  of  wonders ;  it  is  for  you  to  decide,  whether 
this  freedom  shall  yet  survive,  or  be  covered  with  a  funeral  pall,  and 
wrapped  in  eternal  gloom. 


186  THE   DASH. 

RULE    IV. 
A  Parenthesis  coalescing  with  the  Main  Passage. 

When  parentheses  or  intermediate  expressions,  that 
easily  coalesce  with  the  construction  of  the  sentences 
in  which  they  occur,  are  separable  into  portions  requir 
ing  points,  dashes  may  be  used  instead  of  the  common 
marks  of  parenthesis. 

EXAMPLES. 

1.  The  whole  deportment  of  a  child  is  delightful.    Its  smile  —  always  BO 
ready  when  there  is  no  distress,  and  so  soon  recurring  when  that  distress  has 
passed  away  —  is  like  an  opening  of  the  sky,  showing  heaven  beyond. 

2.  The  archetypes,  the  ideal  forms  of  things  without,  —  if  not,  as  some 
philosophers  have  said,  in  a  metaphysical  sense,  yet  in  a  moral  sense,  —  ojusti 
within  us. 

K  K  M  A  R  KS. 

a.  When  a  sentence,  being  assertive,  can  be  read  without  a  point 
between  the  parts  into  which  a  parenthesis  is  introduced,  —  that 
is,  on  the  supposition  of  its  being  excluded,  —  none  will  be  requisite 
along  with  the  dashes ;  as  in  the  first  example  under  the  rule,  which, 
if  the  parenthesis  were  omitted,  would  read  thus :  "  Its  smile  is  like 
an  opening  of  the  sky,  showing  heaven  beyond." 

6.  But  when,  without  the  parenthesis,  such  a  sentence  would 
require  a  comma  or  any  other  grammatical  mark  at  the  place  where 
the  parenthesis  occurs,  both  the  dashes  must  be  preceded  by  that 
mark,  as  in  the  second  example. 

c.  The  parenthetical  portion,  even  though  incapable  of  subdi 
vision,  is  enclosed  by  dashes,  when  it  contains  an  echo  of  what 
precedes,  or  is  thrown  in  by  way  of  explanation ;  as,  "  It  was  under 
the  influence  of  impulse  —  the  impulse  of  nature  on  his  own  poetic 
spirit  —  that  Burns  went  forth  singing  in  glory  and  in  joy  011  the 
toountain-side." 

d.  If  the  parenthesis  is  expressive  of  inquiry  or  emotion,  a  note 
of  interrogation  or  of  exclamation  should  be  used  before  the  second 
dash,  whatever  may  be  the  point,  if  any,  required  before  the  first; 
as,  "How  little  —  may  it  not  beV  —  the  most  considerate  feel  tho 
import  of  a  grateful  acknowledgment  to  Godl"     "In  conformity 


A    COALESCING    PAIIENTIIES1S.  187 

with  a  rule  of  the  Trotters,  '  never  to  flinch  from  duty,'  1  stand 
here,  not  to  make  a  speech,  —  for  who  would  expect  me  to  make  a 
speech?  —  but  to  thank  you  for  the  honor  you  have  done  us,  and  to 
give  you  some  reminiscences  of  the  Trotter  family." 

e.  The  following  passage,  which,  as  requiring  a  dash  before  the 
echoed  word  "not,"  belongs  to  Rule  III.,  p.  182,  should,  though 
perhaps  it  does  not  contain  a  strictly  parenthetical  expression, 
have  the  same  mark  before  the  conjunction  "  but,"  in  accordance 
with  the  examples  under  the  present  rule,  in  order  to  show  the  rela 
tion  of  the  first  two  larger  portions  of  the  sentence  to  the  latter: 
**  Luther  entered  Rome,  not  in  the  mood  of  the  scholar  or  the  poet,  — 
uot  to  study  inscriptions,  or  muse  over  the  ruins  of  fallen  grandeur, 
—  but  with  the  burning  zeal  of  a  devout  pilgrim,  who  hoped  to  find 
there  a  fountain  which  would  slake  the  deep  thirst  of  his  soul." 

/.  Though  but  partially  embraced  by  the  rule,  the  following  is  a 
sentence  which  requires  for  its  elucidation  a  similar  mode  of  pointing: 
"  The  finest  displays  of  power,  —  such  as  those  which  delineate 
Prometheus  blessing  mankind,  and  defying  the  thunder  of  Jove, 
even  when  fastened  to  the  barren  rock,  with  the  vulture  tugging  at 
his  heart,  —  what  are  they  but  the  principles  which  have  animated 
men  who  have  struck  for  freedom;  braving  the  dungeon,  the  stake, 
and  the  scaffold,  in  their  enthusiasm  for  liberty,  and  their  determina 
tion  to  emancipate  themselves  and  their  fellow-creatures  ?  "  Here, 
it  will  be  seen,  the  nominative  case  is  interrupted  by  the  parenthesis, 
and  then  repeated  in  an  interrogative  form.  (See  Rule  II.,  p.  178.) 
To  exhibit  this  interruption  and  change,  made  with  a  view  of  im 
parting  intensity  to  the  language,  the  parenthetical  dashes,  preceded 
each  by  a  comma,  are  used. 

g.  Where  one  parenthetical  clause  is  contained  within  another 
both  of  which  should  be  distinctly  perceived,  that  which  is  les» 
connected  in  construction,  whatever  the  order,  may  be  enclosed  by 
the  usual  marks,  and  the  other  set  off  by  dashes,  as  in  the  following 
lines:  — 

"  Sir  Smug,"  he  cries  vfor  lowest  at  the  board  — 

Just  made  fifth  chaplain  of  his  patron  lord ; 

His  shoulders  witnessing,  by  many  a  shrug, 

llow  much  his  feelings  suffered  —  sat  Sir  Smug), 

"  Your  office  is  to  winnow  false  from  true : 

Come,  prophet,  drink,  and  tell  us  what  think  you." 

ft.  For  the  merely  grammatical  mode  of  pointing  parentheses  anu 
parenthetical  expressions,  see  pp.  64,  65 ;  167-170. 


188  THE    DASH. 

ORAL   EXERCISE. 
Show  how  tfiese  sentences  exemplify  the  Rule  and  the  Remarks  (pp.  186-7):  — 

There  are  times  —  they  onjy  can  understand  who  have  known 
them  —  when  passion  is  dumb,  and  purest  love  maintains  her  whole 
dominion. 

The  true  test  of  a  great  man  —  that,  at  least,  which  must  secure 
his  place  among  the  highest  order  of  great  men  —  is  his  having  been 
in  advance  of  his  age. 

In  youth  —  that  is  to  say,  somewhere  between  the  period  of  child 
hood  and  manhood  —  there  is  commonly  a  striking  development  of 
sensibility  and  imagination. 

To  Andersen  —  a  young  man  of  vivid  fancy,  fine  senses,  and 
cordial  sympathies,  who  had  been  reared  in  the  blessed  air  of 
renunciation  —  every  thing  in  Italy  was  a  delight. 

The  magnificent  creations  of  Southey's  poetry  —  piled  up,  like 
clouds  at  sunset,  in  the  calm  serenity  of  his  capacious  intellect  — 
have  always  been  duly  appreciated  by  poetical  students  and  critical 
readers ;  but  by  the  public  at  large  they  are  neglected. 

In  pure  description,  —  such  as  is  not  warmed  by  passion,  or  deep 
ened  by  philosophical  reflection,  —  Shelley  is  a  great  master. 

In  the  heathen  world,  —  where  mankind  had  no  divine  revelation, 
but  followed  the  impulse  of  nature  alone,  —  religion  was  often  the 
basis  of  civil  government. 

Demosthenes,  Julius  Caesar,  Henry  the  Fourth  of  France,  Lord 
Bacon,  Sir  Isaac  Newton,  Franklin,  Washington,  Napoleon,  —  dif 
ferent  as  they  were  in  their  intellectual  and  moral  qualities,  —  were 
all  renowned  as  hard  workers. 

When  ve  look  up  to  the  first  rank  of  genius,  —  to  Socrates  and 
Plato  and  Pythagoras,  to  Paul  and  Luther,  to  Bacon  and  Leibnitz 
and  Newton,  —  we  find  they  are  men  who  bow  before  the  infinite 
sanctities  which  their  souls  discern. 

There  was  a  deep  wisdom  in  the  governing  maxim  of  the  old 
Catholic  church,  —  though  often,  it  must  be  confessed,  meagrely 
understood  and  falsely  applied,  —  that  truth  is  to  be  found  in  a 
central  point  equally  remote  from  divergent  errors. 

The  poetic  temperament  that  had  led  Channing  to  the  beach  in 
Newport,  and  to  the  willow  walk  in  Cambridge,  —  thrilling  his  soul 
with  the  sense  of  beauty,  with  yearnings  to  be  free  from  imperfec 
tion,  and  visions  of  good  too  great  for  earth,  —  was  working  strongly 
in  him. 


A    COALESCING    PARENTHESIS.  189 

Truth,  courage,  and  justice  —  those  lion  virtues  that  stand  round 
the  throne  of  national  greatness  —  shape  their  blunt  manners  and 
their  downright  speech. 

Religion  —  who  can  doubt  it?  —  is  the  noblest  of  themes  for  the 
exercise  of  intellect. 

I  wished  —  oh!  why  should  I  not  have  wished?  —  that  all  my 
fellow-men  possessed  the  blessings  of  a  benign  civilization  and  n 
pure  form  of  Christianity. 

And  the  ear,  —  that  gathers  unto  its  hidden  chambers  all  music 
and  gladness,  —  would  you  give  it  for  a  kingdom  ? 

As  thus  I  mused  amidst  the  various  train 
Of  toil-worn  wanderers  of  the  perilous  main, 
Two  sailors  —  well  I  marked  them  (as  the  beam 
Of  parting  day  yet  lingered  on  the  stream, 
And  the  sun  sunk  behind  the  shady  reach)  — 
Hastened  with  tottering  footsteps  to  the  beach. 


EXERCISE   TO   BE   WRITTEN. 

Insert  in  the  following  sentences  the  parenthetical  dashes,  with  the  points 
accompanying  tliem  when  required  i  — 

In  our  dwellings  and  in  concert-rooms,  ay,  and  in  opera-housea 
BO  the  theme  be  pure  and  great  there  is  preaching  as  surely  as  within 
church-walls.  (Remark  b.) 

Kither  there  is  a  resemblance  and  analogy  but  how  imperfect 
between  the  attributes  of  the  Divinity  and  our  conceptions  of  them, 
or  we  cannot  have  any  conceptions  at  all.  (Remark  d.) 

It  is  no  exaggeration  to  say,  that  Milton  alone  has  surpassed  if 
even  he  has  surpassed  some  of  the  noble  sonnets  of  Wordsworth, 
dedicated  to  liberty  and  inspired  by  patriotism.  (Remark  c.) 

It  is  when  man  is  in  his  truest  moods  and  these  come  never 
oftener  than  in  his  sorrows  and  self-communings  that  he  finds  him 
self  most  in  harmony  with  nature,  and  most  rejoices  in  her  kindly 
and  wholesome  influence.  (Remark  b.) 

When  we  read  the  maxims  of  La  Rochefoucault  which,  false  as 
they  would  be  if  they  had  been  intended  to  give  us  a  faithful 
universal  picture  of  the  moral  nature  of  man,  were  unfortunately 
too  faithful  a  delineation  of  the  passions  and  principles  that  imme 
diately  surrounded  their  author,  and  met  his  daily  view  in  the 
splendid  scer.es  of  vanity  and  ambitious  intrigue  to  which  his  obser- 


190  THE    DASH. 

vation  was  confined  it  is  impossible  not  to  feel,  that,  acute  and  subtle 
as  they  are,  many  of  these  maxims  must  have  been  only  the  expres 
sion  of  principles  which  were  floating,  without  being  fixed  in  words, 
hi  the  minds  of  many  of  his  fellow-courtiers.  (Remark  6.) 

The  gods  of  the  Greeks  those  graceful  forms  which  Homer  drew 
in  verse,  and  Phidias  realized  in  marble  were  scarcely  more  irra 
tional  than  the  objects  to  which,  in  the  name  of  Christianity,  many 
have  paid  their  homage.  (Remark  a.) 

When  a  people  shall  learn  that  its  greatest  benefactors  and  most 
important  members  are  men  devoted  to  the  liberal  instruction  of  all 
its  classes  to  the  work  of  raising  to  life  its  buried  intellect  it  will 
have  opened  to  itself  the  path  of  true  glory.  (Remark  c.) 

The  contest  between  Christianity  and  the  heathenish  philosophy 
between  the  old  polytheism  and  the  new  belief,  a  poetical  mythology 
and  a  religion  of  morality  is  the  most  remarkable  intellectual  contest 
which  has  ever  been  exhibited  and  determined  among  the  human 
race.  (Remark  a.) 

Christianity  which,  as  a  reform  lastingly  affecting  all  the  social 
relations  of  men,  yet  remains  to  be  philosophically  estimated  (our 
limits  forbid  our  entering  upon  that  tempting  field  of  inquiry)  had 
sown  the  seeds  whose  fruit  might  supplement  the  pre-existing  sys 
tem.  (Remark  g.) 

With  regard  to  the  powers  of  speech  those  powers  which  the  very 
second  year  of  our  existence  generally  calls  into  action,  the  exercise 
of  which  goes  on  at  our  sports,  our  studies,  our  walks,  our  very 
meals,  and  which  is  never  long  suspended,  except  at  the  hour  of 
refreshing  sleep  how  few  surpass  their  fellow-creatures  of  common 
information  and  moderate  attainments!  (Remark  b.) 

If  we  were  to  imagine  present  together,  not  a  single  small  group 
only  of  those  whom  their  virtues  or  talents  had  rendered  eminent 
in  a  single  nation,  but  all  the  sages  and  patriots  of  every  country 
and  period,  without  one  of  the  frail  and  guilty  contemporaries  that 
mingled  with  them  when  they  lived  on  earth;  if  we  were  to  imagine 
them  collected  together,  not  on  an  earth  of  occasional  sunshine  and 
alternate  tempests  like  that  which  we  inhabit,  but  in  some  still 
fairer  world,  in  which  the  only  variety  of  the  seasons  consisted  in  a 
change  of  beauties  and  delights  a  world  in  which  the  faculties  and 
virtues  that  were  originally  so  admirable  continued  still  their  glorious 
and  immortal  progress  does  it  seem  possible  that  the  contemplation 
of  such  a  scene,  so  nobly  inhabited,  should  not  be  delightful  to  him 
who  might  be  transported  into  it?  (Remark  b.) 


ELLIPSIS    OF    THE    WORD    "NAMELY."  191 

RULE     V. 
Ellipsis  of  the  Adverb  "  Namely"  $e. 

The  dash  is  commonly  used  where  there  is  an  ellipsis 
of  such  words  as  namely,  that  is,  and  others  having  a 
similar  import. 

EXAMPLES. 

L  The  four  greatest  names  in  English  poetry  are  almost  the  first  we  come 

to,  —  Chaucer,  Spenser,  Shakspeare,  and  Milton. 
2.  Nicholas  Copernicus  was  instructed  in  that  seminary  where  it  is  always 

happy  when  any  one  can  be  well  taught,  —  the  family  circle. 
8.  Gray  and  Collins  aimed  at  the  dazzling  imagery  and  magnificence  of  lyrical 

poetry,  —  the  direct  antipodes  of  Pope. 

K  E  M  A  R  K  S. 

a.  This  rule  may  be  properly  regarded  as  a  branch  of  that  on 
page  175,  in  reference  to  significant  pauses;  but  it  is  here  separately 
introduced,  in  consequence  of  its  utility,  and  the  frequency  of  its 
application  to  the  purpose  mentioned. 

b.  In  the  first  two  examples,  the  adverb  namely,  and,  in  the  third 
example,  the  words  which  are,  might  be  expressed  where  the  dash  ia 
inserted;  this  mark  being,  in  such  cases,  unnecessary.     But  it  will 
readily  be  seen,  that,  as  exhibited  in  the  briefer  mode  and  with  the 
rhetorical  mark,  the  sentences  are  more  effective  than  they  would 
be  if  the  words  understood  were  supplied. 

c.  A  comma  is  required  before  the  dash,  in  accordance  with  the 
second  branch  of  the  rule,  page  41,  on  words  and  phrases  in  appo 
sition.    The  dash  is  annexed  merely  to  lengthen  the  pause  made  in 
delivery. 

d.  Should  the  dash  be  necessarily  used  often  in  the  same  page  for 
other  purposes,  it  may  not  be  improper  to  omit  it,  and  to  substitute 
a  colon  or  a  semicolon  for  the  comma  and  dash,  before  such  a  speci 
fication  of  particulars  as  occurs  in  the  first  example  under  the  rule. 

e.  When  words  after  which  namely  is  understood  are  followed  by 
a  quotation  or  a  remark  making  sense  in  itself,  the  comma  and  dash 
are  better  omitted,  and  a  colon  substituted  in  their  place;  unless  the 
quotation  or  remark  commences  a  new  paragraph,  when  a  comma 
or  colon  and  a  dash  are  used,  according  to  the  degree  of  conmction 
subsisting  between  the  parts  of  the  passage. —  See  page  138. 


192  THE    DASH. 

ORAL  EXERCISE. 
Why  are  dashes  inserted  in  the  following  sentaiccs  ?  — 

From  an  illusion  of  the  imagination  arises  one  of  the  most  important 
principles  in  human  nature,  —  the  dread  of  death. 

We  should  be  enterprising  in  the  exercise  of  our  own  minds,  and 
in  exploring  the  great  sources  of  truth,  —  nature,  man,  revelation. 

I  am  come  to  regard  the  world  as  an  arena  in  which  I  have  to  do 
two  things,  —  improve  others,  and  improve  myself. 

Kings  and  their  subjects,  masters  and  slaves,  find  a  common  level 
in  two  places,  —  at  the  foot  of  the  cross,  and  in  the  grave. 

The  essence  of  all  poetry  may  be  said  to  consist  in  three  things,  — 
invention,  expression,  inspiration. 

Angry  thoughts  canker  the  mind,  and  dispose  it  to  the  worst 
temper  in  the  world,  —  that  of  fixed  malice  and  revenge. 

There  are  two  kinds  of  evils,  —  those  which  cannot  be  cured,  and 
those  which  can. 

I  see  in  this  world  two  heaps,  —  one  of  happiness,  and  the  other 
of  misery. 

Amongst  us  men,  these  three  things  are  a  large  part  of  our  vir 
tue, —  to  endure,  to  forgive,  and  ourselves  to  get  pardon. 

The  orations  of  Caesar  were  admired  for  two  qualities  which  are 
seldom  found  together,  —  strength  and  elegance. 

Among  uncivilized  nations,  only  one  profession  is  honorable, — 
that  of  arms. 

In  1813,  Moore  entered  upon  his  noble  poetical  and  patriotic 
task,  —  writing  lyrics  for  the  ancient  music  of  his  native  country. 

Milton's  life  was  a  true  poem;  or  it  might  be  compared  to  an  an 
them  on  his  own  favorite  organ,  —  high-toned,  solemn,  and  majestic. 

Nearly  all  the  evils  that  afflict  the  sons  of  men  flow  from  one 
source,  —  wealth,  or  the  appropriation  of  things  to  individuals  and 
to  societies. 

It  is  remarked  by  Rousseau,  that  every  people  in  the  ancient 
world  that  can  be  said  to  have  had  morals  has  respected  the  sex,  — 
Sparta,  Germany,  Rome. 

The  best  shelter  that  the  world  affords  us  is  the  first,  —  the  affec 
tions  into  which  we  are  born,  and  which  are  too  natural  for  us  to 
know  their  worth  till  they  are  disturbed. 

In  my  analysis  of  the  nature  of  love,  I  have  stated  its  two  great 
elements,  —  a  vivid  pleasure  in  the  contemplation  of  the  object  of 
regard,  and  a  desire  of  the  happiness  of  that  object. 


ELLIPSIS    OF    THE    WORD    ''NAMELY."  193 


EXERCISE   TO    BE   WRITTEN. 

Insert  a  comma  and  a  dash  where  the  ellipsis  of  the  adverb  "  namely ',"  or  a 
similar  expression,  occurs  in  the  following  sentences  i  — 

The  more  sympathies  we  gain  or  awaken  for  what  is  beautiful, 
by  so  much  deeper  will  be  our  sympathy  for  that  which  is  most 
beautiful  the  human  soul. 

Many  a  brilliant  reputation  resembles  a  pageant  showy  and  un 
substantial,  attracting  the  acclamations  of  the  crowd,  and  forgotten 
as  soon  as  it  has  passed. 

Faith  builds,  in  the  dungeon  and  the  lazar-housc,  its  sublimest 
shrines;  and  up,  through  roofs  of  stone,  that  shut  up  the  eye  of 
Heaven,  ascends  the  ladder  where  the  angels  glide  to  and  fro 
Prayer. 

The  violator  of  the  sacred  laws  of  justice  feels,  that  the  unhappy 
effects  of  his  own  conduct  have  rendered  him  the  proper  object  of 
the  resentment  and  indignation  of  mankind,  and  of  what  is  the 
natural  consequence  vengeance  and  punisnment. 

If  men  would  confine  their  talk  to  those  subjects  only  which  they 
understood,  that  which  St.  John  informs  us  took  place  once  in  heaven 
would  happen  very  frequently  on  earth  "silence  for  the  space  of 
half  an  hour." 

It  is  very  difficult  for  those  who,  in  early  youth,  have  strug 
gled  with  extreme  penury,  and  who  have  been  suddenly  raised  to 
affluence,  not  to  have  at  their  heart  what  may  seem  like  original 
constitutional  avarice  to  those  who  do  not  reflect  on  its  cause  a  love 
of  money,  when  the  love  of  money  seems  so  little  necessary  to 
them. 

The  tools  of  labor  are  a  sceptre  of  higher  empire  than  monarch 
ever  swayed  that  of  dominion  over  the  earth  and  elements;  they 
are  the  weapons  wherewith  man  achieves  the  purest  and  most 
Denignant  of  all  conquests  the  subjugation  of  the  powers  of  material 
nature  to  the  service  of  humanity;  and  they  are  instruments  also 
of  the  best  of  all  worship  that  which  a  fertilized  earth  sends  tip 
towards  a  gracious  Heaven. 

Friend  of  my  bosom,  thou  more  than  a  brother, 
Why  wert  thou  not  born  in  my  father's  dwelling? 
So  might  we  talk  of  the  old  familiar  faces 
How  some  they  have  died,  and  some  they  have  left  me, 
And  some  are  taken  from  me.     All  are  departed ; 
All,  all,  are  gone,  the  old  familiar  faces. 
13 


194  TIIE    DASH. 

EULE    VI. 

Subheads,  $-c.,  to  Paragraphs. 

The  dash  should  be  inserted  between  a  title  and  the 
subject-matter,  and  also  between  the  subject-matter 
and  the  authority  from  which  it  is  taken,  when  they 
occur  in  the  same  paragraph. 

EXAMPLE. 

FIDELITY  TO  GOD.  —  Whatever  station  or  rank  Thou  shalt  assign  me,  I  will 
die  ten  thousand  deaths  sooner  than  abandon  it.  —  Socrates. 

REMARKS. 

a.  The  dash  is  sometimes  inserted  between  a  question  and  an 
answer,  when  they  come  together  in  the  same  paragraph;  as,  "  Who 
created  you  V  —  God." 

b.  So,  also,  the  dash  is  useful  to  connect  separate  paragraphs, 
dialogues,  &c.,  when  it  is  deemed  necessary  to  save  room.    Thus:  — 

"How  are  you,  Trepid?  How  do  you  feel  to-day,  Mr.  Trepid?"  —  "A 
great  deal  worse  than  I  was,  thank  you;  almost  dead,  I  am  obliged  to  you." 
—  "  Why,  Trepid,  what  is  the  matter  with  you?  "  —  "  Nothing,  I  tell  you,  in 
particular;  but  a  great  deal  is  the  matter  with  me  in  general." 

c.  Some  writers  put  a  dash  after  the  name  of  an  interlocutor,  when 
it  precedes  in  the  same  line  the  language  which  he  utters.     But,  aa 
the  name  is  usually  distinguished  from  the  sentiment  by  its  being  put 
in  Italics  or  in  small  capitals,  the  dash  is  unnecessary;  as, — 

Archbishop.    What  is  your  business  with  me,  my  friend? 
Oil  Bias.   I  am  the  young  man  who  was  recommended  to  you  by  your 
nephew,  Don  Fernando. 

d.  A  dash  is  commonly  inserted  between  the  word  chapter  or 
section  with  its  accompanying  numeral,  and  the  title  of  a  subject, 
when  they  are  placed  in  the  same  line.     Thus:  — 

BSOT.   LV.  —  THE  POWER  OF  IMAGINATION. 

e.  On  the  other  hand,  a  dash  is  put  after  an  expression  connected 
in  sense  and  construction  with  what  follows,  if  the  hitter  begins  a 
new  line ;  as,  "  Occasionally,  perhaps,  he  was  — 

4  Lofty  and  sour  to  them  that  loved  him  not ; 
But  to  those  men  that  sought  him,  sweet  as  summer.'  " 


OMISSION    OF    LETTERS.  195 

KULE     VII. 

Omission  of  Letters,  Figures,  or  Words. 
The  dash  is  often  used  to  denote   an  omission  of 
letters  or  figures. 

EXAMPLES. 

1.  By  II ns!        for     ....     By  Heavens! 

2.  Matt.  ix.  1-6 Matt.  ix.  1,  2,  3,  4,  6,  d 

3.  The  years  1855-56 The  years  1855, 1856. 

REMARKS. 

a.  With  the  exception  of  the  dash  in  the  ellipsis  of  figures,  this 
mark  may  be  made  of  various  lengths,  as  directed  by  the  taste  of 
the  writer  or  printer,  or  in  proportion  to  the  number  of  letters  01 
words  omitted. 

b.  When,  at  the  beginning  or  end  of  a  poetical  quotation,  a  por 
tion  is  omitted,  it  is  recommended  that  a  blank  be  left,  instead  of 
using  the  dash;  the  position  of  the  lines  sufficiently1  indicating  the 
elliosis;  as, — 

Oh !  it  is  excellent 
To  have  a  giant's  strength. 

ORAL   EXERCISE. 

Show  how  the  two  preceding  Rules,  and  the  Remarks  under  them,  are  applicable 
to  t/ie  tn.*ertwn  of  the  daxlie*  found  in  these  sentences:  — 

By  the  L !  madam,  you  wrong  me,  and  the  world  shall  know 

it.  Though  you  have  put  me  into  darkness,  and  given  your  drunken 
cousin  rule  over  me,  yet  have  1  the  benefit  of  my  senses  as  well  as 
your  ladyship. 

Cano-ii  the  Sixth.  —  All  words  and  phrases  which  are  remarkably 
harsh  and  unharmonious,  and  not  absolutely  necessary,  may  justly 
be  judged  to  merit  degradation. — JAMIESUN:  Grammar  of  Rhetoric, 
p.  64. 

OBSEQUIES.  —  We  celebrate  noble  obsequies  to  those  we  love, 
more  by  drying  the  tears  of  others  than  by  hedding  our  own;  and 
the  fairest  funeral  wreath  we  can  hang  on  their  tomb  is  nut  so  fail 
as  a  fruit-offering  of  good  deeds.  —  Rldder. 


196  THE  DASH. 

Q.  What  is  the  Scripture  doctrine  of  progress?  —  -A-  Brethren, 
I  count  not  myself  to  have  apprehended;  but  this  one  thing  I  do, 
forgetting  those  tilings  which  are  behind,  and  reaching  forth  to  those 
which  are  before,  I  press  towards  the  mark  for  the  prize  of  the  high 
calling  of  God  in  Christ  Jesus.  (Phil.  iii.  13—15.) 

Don.   Good-morrow,  Count  Erizzo:  you  are  early. 
Are  you  bound  to  the  palace? 

Erti.  Ay,  Donato, — 

The  common  destination ;  but  I  go 
With  an  old  friend. 

Dun.  What,  Celso,  thou  turned  courtier? 

In  the  silence  of  evening,  conscience  has  a  distinct  and  audible 
voice.  And  for  us,  erring,  sinning  men,  it  is  greatly  wise  to  listen,  — 

"  To  talk  with  our  past  hours, 
And  ask  them  what  report  they  bore  to  heaven, 
And  how  they  might  have  borne  more  welcome  news." 

A  SOFT  ANSWER  TURNETH  AWAY  WRATH.  —  The  Horse  in  the 
Pound,  and  the  Qtttle  in  the  Field.  —  The  horse  of  a  pious  man  iu 
Massachusetts  happening  to  stray  into  the  road,  a  neighbor  of  the 
man  who  owned  the  horse  put  him  in  the  pound.  Meeting  the  owner 
soon  after,  he  told  him  what  he  had  done,  and  added,  "  If  ever  1 
catch  him  in  the  road  hereafter,  I'll  do  just  so  again."  —  "  Neighbor," 
replied  the  other,  "  not  long  since,  I  looked  out  of  my  window  in  the 
night,  and  saw  your  cattle  in  my  mowing  ground;  and  I  drove  them 
out,  and  shut  them  in  your  yard;  and  ril  do  it  ayain."  Struck  with 
the  reply,  the  man  liberated  the  horse  from  the  pound,  and  paid  the 
charges  himself.  —  Anecdotes  of  Kindness  and  Philanthropy. 

SECT.    CLXXVIII.  —  A    CONSISTENT   SERVANT. 

A  very  rich  lady  in  Boston  had  in  her  employment  a  young  mau 
from  the  country.  On  certain  occasions,  he  was  instructed  to 

inform  any  company  who  might  ring  at  the  door,  that  Mrs. was 

not  at  home. 

One  day,  John  made  his  reply  to  an  intimate  friend  of  the  lady, 
who  shortly  went  away,  leaving  a  card  and  a  promise  to  call  again. 

As  the  card  was  handed  to  Mrs. ,  she  said,  "  John,  what  did  you 

say  to  the  lady?  "  —  "I  told  her  you  were  not  at  home."  —  "  Well, 
John,  I  hope  you  did  not  laugh V  "  —  "  Oh,  no!  ma'am,"  said  John: 
"  I  never  laugh  when  I  tell  a  lie." 


197 


CHAPTER  IV. 
LETTER,   SYLLABIC,   AND   QUOTATION  POINTS. 


THE  points  treated  of  in  the  two  preceding  chapters 
have  been  classified  into  two  kinds, —  1.  The  gram 
matical  ;  and,  2.  The  grammatical  and  rhetorical.  As 
previously  stated,  they  are  used  for  the  purpose  of 
developing  the  sense  of  a  composition,  by  exhibiting 
the  various  connections  and  constructions  of  words, 
phrases,  and  clauses ;  and  of  aiding  the  delivery,  by 
showing  the  nature  of  sentences,  as  affirmative,  inter 
rogative,  emotional,  parenthetic,  suspensive,  or  broken. 
The  marks  to  be  considered  in  this  chapter  are  — 

1.  The  APOSTROPHE ['] 

2.  The  HYPHEN [    -    ] 

3.  The  MARKS  OF  QUOTATION  .    .    .    .    [ "  "  J 

These  are  put  into  a  class  different  from  the  others, 
because,  though  they  serve  to  bring  out  the  sense  and 
to  aid  a  just  delivery,  they  do  not  exhibit  any  analysis 
of  sentences,  or  point  out  the  relation  of  their  parts  to 
oi:e  another,  but  call  the  attention  merely  to  letters 
or  syllables,  as  do  the  Apostrophe  and  Hyphen,  or  to 
something  foreign  to  the  meaning  and  construction  of 
the  passages  to  which  they  are  prefixed  and  annexedr 
as  is  the  case  with  the  Marks  of  Quotation. 


198 


SECT.  I.  —  THE   APOSTROPHE. 


The  APOSTROPHE  [  '  ]  is  a  mark  distinguished  in 
appearance  from  a  comma,  only  in  being  placed  above 
the  line  ;  but  its  uses  are  altogether  different. 


RULE    I. 
Elision  of  Letters,  or  Shortening  of  Words. 

The  apostrophe  is  used,  chiefly  in  poetry  and  in 
familiar  dialogue,  to  denote  the  omission  of  a  letter 
or  of  letters. 

EXAMPLES. 


I've    .    .  abbreviated  for  .  I  have. 

'em them. 

i'the in  the. 

o'er over. 

don't do  not. 

'gainst against. 


he 's he  IB. 

ne'er never. 

thou'rt thou  art. 

'tis it  is. 

•who'd who  would 

you'll you  will. 


REMARKS. 

a.  A  word  pronounced  in  full  should  not  be  abbreviated  with  the 
apostrophe,  except  in  headings  to  column-work,  where  saving  of 
room  is  necessary,  and  where  the  full  point  at  the  end  would  not 
indicate  the  word  intended.  —  See  p.  149,  Remark  c. 

b.  Though  not,  strictly  speaking,  abbreviations,  the  plurals  of 
mere  letters  or  of  Arabic  figures  are  formed  by  the  insertion  of  an 
upostropihe  before  the  * ;  as,  "  Mark  all  the  a's  and  o's  in  your 
exercise."  —  "  In  this  sum  there  are  four  2's  and  three  5's." 

c.  It  was  once  a  common  practice,  especially  in  verse,  to  write 
and  print  tho1  and  thro\  instead  of  though  and  through;  but  these 
abbreviated  forms  are  now  discontinued,  for  the  veiy  just  reason 
that  they  do  not  shorten  the  pronunciation  of  the  words,  —  the  chief 
object  for  which  abbreviations  are  used.     To  prevent,  however,  the 


ELISION    OF    LETTERS.  199 

turning  of  a  line  in  poetry,  so  as  to  occupy  the  space  of  two,  which  is 
offensive  to  the  eye,  tho1  and  thro'  may  occasionally  be  thus  printed. 

d.  Borough,  the  termination  of  some  proper  names,  is  not  unfre- 
quently   contracted   into  bro  or  boro,  either  with  or  without   the 
addition  of  an  apostrophe;   as,  Marlbro,  Southboro\     If  the  abbre 
viation,  is  made,  the  apostrophe  should  be  used  to  indicate  the 
omission  of  the  last  letters ;  but,  except  in  lines  where  room  must 
be  saved,  it  would  be  much  better  to  write  and  print  all  such  words 
in  full;   as,  Maryborough.     Edinboro1  is  a  barbarous  corruption  of 
Edinburgh,  and  should  never  deface  a  printed  page. 

e.  The  particle  till,  being  a  substitute  for  until,  which  is  now 
seldom  used,  should  not  be  preceded  by  an  apostrophe. 

f.  The  mark  under  notice  is  erroneously  used  in  the  words  to, 
the,  heaven,  power,  every,  threatening,  and  others  of  a  similar  nature, 
when  written,  as  they  frequently  are  in  verse,  C ,  th\  heav'n,  pow'r, 
ev'ry,  threatening,  &c.;  for,  though  apparently,  in  the  full  or  un- 
elided  form,  making  a  syllable  additional  to  the  number  of  the  feet 
required  by  the  verse,  they  are  never  pronounced  differently  from 
the  same  words  in  prose,  nor  does  this  pronunciation  at  all  affect  the 
rhythm.    Indeed  no  elocutionist  or  poet  deserving  of  the  name  would 
read  the  phrases,  "  to  attain  perfection  "  and  "  the  accomplished 
sofa,"  in  the  following  lines,  as  if  written  tattain  perfection,  thaccom- 
plished  sofa ;  though,  judging  from  the  mode  in  which  they  were 
originally  printed  ("  t'  attain,  th'  accomplished"),  a  reader  might 
imagine  that  this  absurd  pronunciation  was  requisite.    The  verse 
in  which  they  occur  should  therefore  stand  thus :  — 

So  slow 

The  growth  of  what  is  excellent ;  so  hard 
To  attain  perfection  in  this  nether  world. 
Thus,  first,  Necessity  invented  stools; 
Convenience  next  suggested  elbow-chairs ; 
And  Luxury,  the  accomplished  sofa  next. 

g.  It  seems  to  have  been  the  practice  in  former  times  to  pro 
nounce,  as  an  additional  syllable,  the  ed  in  the  imperfect  tense  of 
verbs,  in  past  participles,  and  in  participial  adjectives;  and  hence 
arose  the  propriety,  in  poetical  works  of  a  bygone  age,  of  omitting 
the  e  in  words  of  this  sort,  and  of  supplying  its  place  with  an  apos 
trophe,  when  the  termination  treated  of  coalesced  in  pronunciation 
with  the  primitive  to  which  d  or  ed  was  attached.    Now,  however, 
that  this  syllable  is  not  separately  enunciated  in  prose,  —  except  in 
learneil,  beloved,  cursed,  winged,  when  used  as  adjectives,  and  in  some 


200  THE    APOSTROPHE. 

instances  where  a  combination  of  harsh  consonants  necessarily 
requires  the  ed  always  to  be  articulated  as  a  syllable ;  and  except 
also  in  Sacred  Scripture,  portions  of  which  should  be  read  in  a  very 
solemn  manner,  —  the  propriety  of  supplying  the  place  of  the  e  with 
an  apostrophe  is  exceedingly  questionable.  In  many  recent  publica 
tions,  therefore,  the  mark  of  elision  has  been  thrown  aside  in  regard 
to  such  words,  and  a  grave  accent  placed  on  the  e  in  those  only  which 
are  lengthened  for  the  sake  of  the  rhythm ;  as  will  be  seen  in  the 
following  lines :  — 

I  praised  the  sun,  whose  chariot  rolled 

On  wheels  of  amber  and  of  gold ; 

I  praised  the  inoon,  whose  softer  eye 

Gleamed  sweetly  through  the  summer  sky ; 

And  moon  and  sun  in  answer  said, 

*'  Our  days  of  light  are  numbered." 

Some  writers,  however,  prefer  to  mark  the  additional  syllable  by  an 
acute  accent  or  a  diaeresis  on  the  vowel;  as,  mailed  or  frightened. 
But,  as  the  acute  accent  is  sometimes  used  in  poetry  to  point  out  a 
change  in  the  true  accentuation  of  a  word,  —  as  aspect,  instead  of 
dspect,  —  and  the  diaeresis  to  separate  in  pronunciation  two  vowels 
coming  together,  —  as  Danae,  —  it  would  be  better  to  appropriate  in 
verse  the  grave  accent  to  the  lengthening  of  words  ending  in  ed. 

h.  In  the  preceding  paragraph,  we  have  endeavored  to  show  the 
inutility  of  substituting  the  apostrophe  for  an  e,  in  the  termination 
ed,  when  pronounced  in  union  with  a  preceding  syllable.  It  may, 
however,  be  proper  to  admit,  that  many  respectable  authors  and 
printers  adopt  a  middle  course  in  reference  to  the  words  under  con 
sideration.  They  always  retain  the  e  in  the  imperfect  tense  and 
perfect  participle  of  those  verbs  whose  infinitive  ends  in  that  letter, 
but  in  poetry  use  an  apostrophe  in  the  same  forms  of  verbs,  when 
the  infinitive  terminates  with  a  consonant;  as,  "  to  grieve,  grieved; 
to  gain,  yain'd."  They  also,  as  a  matter  of  course,  reject  as  useless 
the  accent  in  such  a  word  as  numbered,  when  the  ed  forms  an  addi 
tional  syllable;  the  e  being  retained  as  an  exception  to  their  general 
rule,  in  order  to  show  that  the  ed  does  not  coalesce  with  the  pre- 
oeding  syllable.  The  mode  of  using  the  vowel  and  the  apostrophe, 
here  adverted  to,  is  exemplified  in  the  following  lines :  — 

Ages  elapsed  ere  Homer's  lamp  appeared, 
And  ages  ere  the  Mantuan  swan  was  heard : 
To  carry  nature  lengths  unknown  before, 
To  give  a  Miltou  birth,  asli'd  ages  more. 


ELISION    OF    LETTERS.  2<>1 

i.  Though  but  indirectly  connected  with  punctuation,  it  may  be 
remarked,  that  some  of  the  past  participles,  having  the  termination 
e</,  are  in  verse  frequently  written  or  printed  with  a  t,  as  in  the 
words  blest,  drest,  drtamt ;  and  this  mode  of  spelling,  though  not 
analogical,  is  by  no  means  unpleasant  to  the  eye.  In  prose,  how 
ever,  when  participles  having  both  terminations  occur,  it  is  better 
to  adopt  that  which  is  more  usual;  being,  to  speak  generally,  the 
regular  form,  ed. 

ORAL,   EXERCISES. 

State  the  reason  given  in  the  Rule  for  inserting  an  apostrophe  in  the  wards 
tints  marked,  and  read  them  both,  in  tlie  elided  and  the  full  formt  — 

'Mid  such  a  heavenly  scene  as  this,  death  is  an  empty  name. 

Thou' It  yet  survive  the  storm,  and  bloom  in  paradise. 

Methought  that  I  lay  naked  and  faint  'neath  a  tropic  sky. 

If  I'd  a  throne,  I'd  freely  share  it  with  thee. 

That  lesson  in  my  memory  I'll  treasure  up  with  care. 

I  might  have  lived,  and  '.joyed  immortal  bliss. 

'Mongst  horrid  shapes,  and  shrieks,  and  sights  unholy. 

Let  me  thy  voice  betimes  i'the  morning  hear. 

Night  stretches  forth  her  leaden  sceptre  o'er  a  slumbering  world. 

The  thing  they  can't  but  purpose,  they  postpone. 

E'en  with  the  tender  tear  which  nature  sheds  o'er  those  we  love. 

Thou'rt  neither  fair  nor  strong  nor  wise  nor  rich  nor  young. 

You're  overwatched,  my  lord:  lie  down  and  rest. 

Here 's  a  marvellous  convenient  place  for  our  rehearsal. 

Give  a  single  lightning  glance,  and  he'll  dwindle  to  a  calf. 

One,  'midst  the  forests  of  the  West,  by  a  dark  stream  is  laid. 

Whene'er  I  wander  in  the  grove,  and  gaze  upon  the  lake. 

Do  not  ask  who'll  go  with  you:  go  ahead. 

Tie  up  the  knocker;  say  I'm  sick,  —  I'm  dead. 

Go  to,  I'll  no  more  oft:  it  hath  made  me  mad. 

If  that  thou  be'st  a  Roman,  take  it  forth. 

Or  in  some  hollowed  seat,  'gainst  which  the  big  waves  beat. 

Faint 's  the  cold  work  till  thou  inspire  the  whole. 

A  mingled  air:  'twas  sad  by  fits,  by  starts  'twas  wild. 

That  errand-bound  'prentice  was  passing  in  haste. 

You've  pulled  my  bell  as  if  you'd  jerk  it  off  the  wire. 

Of  herself  survey  she  takes,  but  'tween  men  no  difference  makes 

For,'twixt  the  hours  of  twelve  and  one,  inethought  1  heard  him  shriek 


202  THE    APOSTROPHE. 

Slww  how  the  insertion  or  t!ie  omission  of  apostrophes  in  certain  words,  occurring 
in  tAese  portions  of  verse,  is  borne  out  by  the  preceding  Remarks* 

Strike  —  till  the  last  armed  foo  expires ! 

Here  Edsvin  and  his  Einuia  oft  would  stray, 
To  enjoy  the  coolness  of  the  evening  breeze. 

The  toiling  ploughman  drives  his  thirsty  teams 
To  taste  the  slippery  streams. 

Though  darkness  o'er  a  slumbering  world 

Iler  sable  mantle  throw, 
.Returning  splendors  are  unfurled, 

And  all  is  bright  below. 

Unthinking,  idle,  wild,  and  young, 
I  laughed  and  talked,  and  danced  and  sung; 
And,  proud  of  health,  of  freedom  vain, 
Dreamt  not  of  sorrow,  care,  or  pain. 

Serenity  broods  o'er  my  mind ; 

For  I  daily  pray  to  Heaven, 
That,  when  the  hour  of  death  arrives, 

My  sins  may  be  forgiven. 

But  come,  thou  goddess  fair  and  free, 
In  heaven  ycleped  Euphrosyne, 
And  by  men  heart-easing  Mirth ; 
Whom  lovely  Venus,  at  a  birth, 
With  two  sister  Graces  more, 
To  ivy-crowned  Bacchus  bore. 

Oh!  when  my  friend  and  I 
In  some  thick  wood  have  wandered  heedless  on, 
Hid  from  the  vulgar  eye,  and  sat  us  down 
Upon  the  sloping  cowslip-covered  bank, 
Where  the  pure,  limpid  stream  has  slid  along 
In  grateful  errors  through  the  underwood, 
Sweet  murmuring,  methought  the  shrill-tongued  thrash 
Mended  his  song  of  love ;  the  sooty  blackbird 
Mellowed  his  pipe,  and  softened  every  note ; 
The  eglantine  smelled  sweeter,  and  the  rose 
Assumed  a  dye  more  deep ;  whilst  every  flower 
Vied  with  its  fellow-plant  in  luxury 
Of  dress.     Oh !  then,  the  longest  summer's  day 
Seemed  too,  too  much  in  haste ;  still  the  full  heart 
Had  not  imparted  half:  'twas  happiness 
Too  exquisite  to  last.     Of  joys  departed, 
Not  to  return,  how  painful  the  remembrance! 


ELISION    OF    LETTERS.  203 

EXERCISE  TO   BE   WRITTEN. 

huert  the  apostrophe  vkerever  necessary ;  and  mark  a  grave  accent  on  Oil 
novel  in  ED  in  verse,  vhen  pronounced  as  an  additional  syllable :  — 

As  Yorkshire  Humphrey,  tother  day^ 
Oer  London  Bridge  was  stumping. 

That  forked  flash,  that  pealing  crash, 
Seemed  from  the  wave  to  sweep  her. 

At  once  they  sprang 
With  haste  aloft,  and,  peering  bright, 
Descried  afar  the  blessed  sight. 

For  who  but  He  that  arched  the  skies 
Gould  rear  the  daisy's  purple  bud, 
Mould  its  green  cup,  its  wiry  stem, 
Its  fringed  border  nicely  spin, 
And  cut  the  gold-embossed  gem, 
That,  set  in  silver,  gleams  within? 

Oer  Idalia's  velvet  green  the  rosy -crowned  Loves  are  seen. 

Now,  brothers,  bending  oer  the  accursed  loom, 
Stamp  we  our  vengeance  deep,  and  ratify  hia  doom. 

From  seventeen  years  till  now,  almost  fourscore, 
Here  lived  I,  but  now  live  here  no  more. 

Then  lighted  from  his  gorgeous  throne ;  for  now 
Twist  host  and  host  but  narrow  space  was  left. 

Approach,  and  read  (for  thou  canst  read)  the  lay 
Graved  on  the  stone  beneath  yon  aged  thorn. 

Thou  rather,  with  thy  sharp  and  sulphurous  bolt, 
Pplitst  the  unwedgeable  and  gnarled  oak, 
Than  the  soft  myrtle. 

A  bearded  man, 

Armed  to  the  teeth  art  thou :  one  mailed  hand 
Grasps  the  broad  shield,  and  one  the  sword. 

Blest  be  the  day  I  scaped  the  wrangling  crew 
From  Pyrrho's  maze  and  Epicurus'  sty, 
And  held  high  converse  with  the  godlike  few, 
Who,  to  the  enraptured  heart  and  ear  and  eye, 
Teach  beauty,  virtue,  truth,  and  love,  and  melody. 

It  gazes  on  those  glazed  ey«>s,  it  hearkens  for  a  breath ; 

It  does  not  know  that  kindness  dies,  aud  love  departs  from  death. 


204  THE    APOSTROPHE. 

RULE     II. 
The  Genitive  or  Possessive  Case. 

The  apostrophe  is  used  to  distinguish  the  possessive 
case  of  nouns  ;  which  is  usually  formed  in  the  singular 
number  by  adding  to  the  nominative  an  s,  with  an 
apostrophe  before  it,  and  in  the  plural  by  simply  an 
nexing  this  mark. 

EXAMPLES. 

1.  What  majesty  attends  Night's  lovely  queen! 

2.  The  Ages'  voice  speaks  everlasting  truth. 

REMARKS. 

o.  The  apostrophe  is  sometimes  used  in  the  singular  number 
without  the  additional  «,  when  the  nominative  ends  in  s,  sa,  ce,  or  x ; 
as,  "  Hoses'  rod,"  "  for  righteousness*  sake,"  "  for  conscience"  sake," 
"  the  administratrix'  sale."  This  mode  of  punctuation  holds  good 
chiefly  in  proper  names  having  a  foreign  termination,  and  in  such 
common  nouns  as  are  seldom  used  in  the  plural,  —  an  exception  to 
the  rule  of  forming  the  possessive  singular,  which  is  founded  on  the 
propriety  of  modifying  the  disagreeable  nature  of  the  hissing  sound. 

b.  Recourse,  however,  should  not  be  had  to  the  principle  laid 
down  in  the  preceding  remark,  when  its  adoption  would  cause  ambi 
guity,  or  when  the  addition  of  the  s  is  not  offensive  to  a  refined  ear 
For  instance,  the  Italic  words  in  the  phrases,  "  Burns' s  Poems," 
"James's  book,"  "  Thomas's  cloak,"  "  the  fox's  tail,"  though  they 
contain  the  hissing  sound,  are  not  particularly  unpleasant,  and  are  far 
more  analogical  and  significant  than  the  abbreviated  forms,  "  Burns' 
Poems,"  "  James1  book,"  "  Thomas'  cloak,"  "  the  fox'  tail." 

c.  We  have  no  doubt  that  the  distinctions  here  suggested  are 
important,  and  accord  with  the  genius  of  the  English  language;  but 
in  poetry  none  but  the  author  himself  should  change  the  form  of 
the  possessive,  whether  written  with  or  without  the  annexed  a,  as, 
unless  the  whole  line  were  recast,  such  an  alteration  would  probably 
mar  the  harmony  of  the  verse.  Even  in  prose,  a  printer  should  not 
take  the  liberty  of  changing  the  form  of  a  possessive,  without  the 
consent  of  the  author;  this  matter  being  yet  a  subject  on  which 
there  is  a  difference  of  opinion  among  literary  men. 


THE    POSSESSIVE    CASE.  205 

d.  To  form  the  possessive  case  plural,  the  apostrophe,  with  an 
9  after  it,  is  added  to  the  nominative  plural,  when  it  does  not  end 
in  that  letter;  as,  " Mtris  passions;  women's  tenderness;  children's 
joys." 

e.  The  possessive  case  of  pronouns  is  formed  without  an  apos 
trophe;  as, — 


SINGULAR.  PLURAL. 

Mine.  Ours. 

Youra.  Yours. 

liis.  Theirs. 


SINGULAR.  PLURAL. 

Hers.  Theirs. 

Its.  Theirs. 

Whose.  Whose. 


Some  grammarians  would  use  the  apostrophe  before  the  a  in  ours, 
yours,  hers,  its,  theirs.  But  the  impropriety  of  this  is  evident  from 
the  mode  in  which  the  other  pronouns  in  the  possessive  case  are 
alwavs  written;  namely,  mine,  his,  and  whose;  which  exhibit  the 
case  without  the  mark  in  question. 


ORAL   EXEKCISES. 

State  the  reason  for  the  insertion  and  position  of  the  apostrophe  in  thcts 
sentence* i  — 

A  man's  manners  not  unfrequently  indicate  his  morals. 

On  eagle's  wings  he  seemed  to  soar.  —  Our  enemies'  resistance. 

The  shepherd-swain  on  Scotia's  mountains  fed  his  little  flock. 

And  the  Persians'  gems  and  gold  were  the  Grecians'  funeral  pyre. 

We  will  not  shrink  from  life's  severest  due.  —  Woman's  rights. 

Few  columns  rose  to  mark  her  patriots'  last  repose. 

The  sun  is  the  poet's,  the  invalid's,  and  the  hypochondriac's  friend. 

The  ladies'  gloves  and  shawls  were  exceedingly  handsome. 

Philippa  was  the  name  of  Kdward  the  Third's  queen. 

0  majestic  Night,  Nature's  great  ancestor,  Day's  elder  born  I 

He  must  strike  the  second  heat  upon  the  Muses'  anvil. 

Mother's  wag,  pretty  boy,  father's  sorrow,  father's  joy. 

Spirit  of  Good !  on  this  week's  verge  I  stand. 

Bid  them  in  duty's  sphere  as  meekly  move. 

Why  is  that  sleeper  laid  to  rest  in  manhood's  pride  ? 

Who  loves  not  spring's  voluptuous  hours,  or  summer's  splendid  reign  V 

Is  sparkling  wit  the  world's  exclusive  right? 

The  Turk  awoke:  he  woke  to  hear  his  sentry's  shriek. 

The  people's  shouts  were  long  and  loud.  —  Thy  mercies'  monument 

A  friend  should  bear  a  friend's  infirmities.  —  The  ox's  hide. 


206  THE    APOSTROrUE. 

Show  how  Vie  Rule  yr  the  Remarks  (pp.  204-6)  are  applicable  tc  the  possessive 
cane  in  the  following  phrases  and  sentences  i  — 

Adam's  book,  not  Adams's:  the  book  did  not  belong  to  Adams. 

John  Quincy  Adams's  death  was  no  common  bereavement. 

Sir  Humphrey  Davy's  safety-lamp.  —  Davis's  Straits. 

Josephus's  "  History  of  the  Jews  "  is  a  very  interesting  work. 

Andrew's  hat,  not  Andrews's.  — Andrews's  "  Latin  Reader." 

For  quietness'  sake,  the  man  would  not  enter  into  any  dispute. 

Col.  Matthews's  delivery.  —  Matthew's  Gospel,  not  Matthews's. 

The  witness's  testimony  agreed  with  the  facts  of  the  case. 

Let  Temperance'  smile  the  cup  of  gladness  cheer. 

Nor  roamed  Parnassus'  heights  nor  1'iiulus'  hallowed  shade. 

There  is  no  impropriety  in  speaking  of  the  cockatrice's  den. 

I  oft  have  sat  on  Thames'  sweet  bank  to  hear  my  friend. 

Like  the  silver  crimson  shroud,  that  Phoebus'  smiling  looks  doth  grace. 

Faustus'  offence  [the  otfence  of  Faustusj  can  never  be  pardoned. 

After  two  years,  Porcius  Festus  came  into  Felix's  room. 

EXEKC1SK   TO    UK    WUITTEN. 

Jigreeably  to  tlie  Ride  and  the  Remarks,  insert  apostrophe*  in,  or  annex  them 
to,  the  nouns  in  the  posneKsice  aixe  which  occur  in  tlie  following  sentences ; 
but  let  the  pronouns  remain  umnarked  :  — 

The  traveller  went  to  lodge,  not  in  Mr.  Jacobs  house,  but  in  Mr. 
Jacobss.  (Rule,  and  Remark  b.) 

I  am  going  to  the  booksellers  \siny. \  to  purchase  Popes  Homer 
and  Drydens  Virgil.  (Rule.) 

Procrustes  bed.  —  Ilortensius  influence.  —  Achilles  shield.  —  Po- 
cahontas  father.  —  Sophocles  Greek  Grammar.  (Remark  a.) 

The  precepts  of  wisdom  form  the  good  mans  interest  and  happi 
ness.  (Rule.) 

Robert  liurnss  prose  as  well  as  poetical  writings  are  astonishing 
productions.  (Remark  6.) 

Fames  proud  temple  shines  afar.  —  From  mens  experience  do 
thou  learn  wisdom.  (Rule,  and  Remark  d.) 

They  applauded  that  conduct  of  his,  but  condemned  hers  and 
yours.  The  reason  of  its  being  done  I  cannot  tell.  (Remark  e.) 

He  had  the  surgeons  [««</.J,  the  physicians  [sing.],  and  the 
apothecarys  advice.  (Rule.) 

The  tendency  of  Dickenss  genius,  both  in  delineating  the  actiml 
arid  the  natural,  is  to  personify,  to  individualize.  (Remark  b.) 


TIIE    POSSESSIVE    CASE.  207 

Goethes  "Wilhelm  Meister"  was  the  rich  result  of  ten  years 
labor.  (Rule.) 

John  Parrys  children  played  with  David  Parriss.  —  Williams  wig 
was  purchased  at  Mr.  Williamss  shop.  (Rule,  and  Remark  6.) 

I  would  rather  have  arrived  at  one  profound  conclusion  of  tho 
sages  meditation  in  his  dim  study,  than  to  win  that  gaze  of  the  mul 
titude.  (Rule.) 

Should  you  have  occasion  to  refer,  in  writing  or  in  print,  to 
Burns  sermons,  meaning  the  sermons  of  Burn,  you  must  be  careful 
to  put  the  apostrophe  in  its  right  place.  (Rule,  and  comp.  Rem.  6.) 

A  drunkard  once  reeled  up  to  him  with  the  remark,  "  Mr.  White- 
field,  I  am  one  of  your  converts."  —  "  I  think  it  very  likely,"  was 
the  reply;  "  for  I  am  sure  you  are  none  of  Gods."  (Rule.) 

I  was  surprised  to  see  so  many  young  idle  sparks  listening 
quietly  and  attentively  to  Dr.  David  Sparkss  lecture  on  Dmsius, 
Grotius,  and  Michaelis  theological  works.  (Remarks  b,  a.) 

And  still  the  Greek  rushed  on,  beneath  the  fiery  fold, 

Till,  like  a  rising  sun,  shone  Xerxes  tent  of  gold.        (Remark  a.) 

Education  does  not  commence  with  the  alphabet:  it  begins  with 
a  mothers  look;  with  a  fathers  nod  of  approbation,  or  a  sign  of 
reproof;  with  a  sisters  gentle  pressure  of  the  hand,  or  a  brothers 
noble  act  of  forbearance ;  with  handfuls  of  flowers  in  green  dells,  on 
nills  and  daisy  meadows ;  with  birds  nests  admired,  but  not  touched ; 
with  humming  bees  and  glass  hives ;  with  pleasant  walks  in  shady 
lanes;  with  thoughts  directed,  in  sweet  and  kindly  tones  and  words, 
to  nature,  to  beauty,  to  acts  of  benevolence,  to  deeds  of  virtue,  to 
the  sense  of  all  good,  and  to  God  himself.  .(Rule.) 

Behold  Affections  garden,  whose  sweet  flowers  — 

A  blending  of  all  odors,  forms,  and  hues  — 

Were  nursed  by  Fancy  and  the  gentle  Muse 

In  heaven-born  Poesys  delightful  bowers. 

Ye  who  appreciate  the  poets  powers, 

And  love  the  bright  creutions  of  his  mind, 

Come,  linger  here  awhile,  and  ye  shall  find 

A  noble  solace  in  your  milder  hours : 

Here  Byrous  genius,  like  an  eagle,  towers 

In  dread  sublimity;  while  Rogers  lute, 

Moores  native  harp,  and  Campbells  classic  flute, 

Mingle  in  harmony,  as  beams  with  showers. 

Can  their  high  strains  of  inspiration  roll, 

Nor  soothe  the  heart,  nor  elevate  the  soul?  (Rule.) 


208 


SECT.  II.  — THE   HYPHEN. 


The  HYPHEN  [  -  ]  is  sometimes  employed  to  join 
the  constituent  parts  of  compound  and  derivative  words. 
It  is  also  used  to  divide  words  into  syllables,  for  the 
purpose  either  of  exhibiting  the  pronunciation,  or  of 
showing  the  simple  portions  into  which  words  of  more 
than  one  syllable  may  be  resolved. 

REMARKS. 

a.  From  this  explanation,  it  will  be  seen  that  the  hyphen  is  used 
for  two  very  different  purposes,  —  to  join  and  to  separate.    As  a 
mark  of  junction,  it  is  inserted  between  the  simple  words  of  which 
certain  compounds  are  formed;  and,  in  peculiar  circumstances,  be 
tween  a  preposition,  or  a  portion  of  a  word,  and  the  word  to  which 
it  is  prefixed;  as,  "  the  inhuman  and  fiendish  slave-trade ; "  "  a  man 
of  pre-eminence;"   "the  Nto-PlaUmic  philosophers."     As  a  mark 
of  separation,  it  is  employed  by  lexicographers  and  by  writers  or 
printers  to  analyze  words,  and  to  divide  them  into  syllables;  by  the 
former  to  show  as  accurately  as  possible  the  pronunciation,  and  by 
the  latter  to  disunite  portions  of  words  that  cannot  be  brought  into 
a  line  of  manuscript  or  of  letterpress. 

b.  The  distinction  between  a  compound  and  a  derivative  word  is, 
that  the  former  consists  of  two  or  more  simple  words  which  are 
separately  and  commonly  used  in  English;    whereas  the  latter  is 
made  up  of  simple  words,  or  portions  of  words,  which  are  not  ench 
separately  current  in  the  language;  as, pseudo-apostle.  —  See  page  23, 
Def.  XII.' 

c.  But  the  simple  words  which  make  up  compounds  and  deriva 
tives  are  not  always  united  by  the  hyphen;  a  few  only  of  the  latter 
being  thus  distinguished,  and  a  very  considerable  number  of  the 
former,  particularly  those  which   form  compound  nouns,  having 
coalesced  so  closely  in  pronunciation   as  to  require  them  to  b« 


COMPOUND    WORDS.  209 

presented  to  the  eye  as  one  word.  It  is,  therefore,  a  matter  of 
importance  to  ascertain  when  it  will  be  proper  to  join  the  parts 
of  compounds  with  the  hyphen,  and  when  to  unite  them  without 
this  connecting  mark.  The  mode  of  using  the  hyphen  in  syllabica 
tion  is  also  attended  with  difficulties,  which  may,  in  a  great  measure, 
be  obviated  by  an  appeal  to  certain  principles. 


RULE    L 
Compound  Words. 

§  I.  When  each  of  the  words  of  which  a  compound 
is  formed  retains  its  original  accent,  they  should  be 
united  by  a  hyphen. 

§  II.  But,  when  the  compound  word  has  only  one 
accent,  its  parts  are  consolidated;  being  written  o» 
printed  without  the  hyphen. 


EXAMPLES. 


1.  The  all'-wise'  God. 

2.  In'cense-breathlng  morn. 


1.  A  fortunate  book'seller. 

2.  A  meau  uc/bleman. 


REMARKS. 

a.  The  words  "all-wise"  and  "incense-breathing,"  "bookseller" 
and  "  nobleman,"  are  compounds,  because  they  severally  represent 
not  two  separate  ideas,  but  one  compound  idea.  The  primitives  which 
enter  into  the  composition  of  "  all'-wise'  "  and  "  in'cense-breath'ing  " 
retain  the  same  accents  as  they  had  before  these  compounds  were 
formed ;  but,  as  they  could  not  be  readily  distinguished  if  written  or 
printed  closely  together,  the  only  mode  of  showing  that  they  are 
compound  is  by  inserting  a  hyphen  between  them.  On  the  other 
hand,  the  simple  words  forming  the  compounds  "bookseller"  and 
"nobleman"  do  not  both  retain  the  accents  which  are  heard  in  the 
phrases,  "a  seller  of  books"  "  a  man  who  is  noble,"  but  so  perfectly 
coalesce  in  pronunciation  as  to  form  one  unbroken,  continuous  word, 
H 


210  THE    HYPHEN. 

with  a  single  accent,  —  book'seller,  no'bleman;  Iho  hyphen,  therefore, 
being  unnecessary. 

b.  In  the  preceding  paragraph,  it  was  said  that  a  compound  word 
represents  a  compound  idea,  and  not  two  ideas.    This  definition,  Dr. 
Latham,  from  whom  we  borrowed  it,  illustrates  (in  his  work  on  the 
"  English  Language,"  page  359)  by  the  expression,  "  a  sharp-edged 
instrument,"  which  means  an  instrument  with  sharp  edges;  whereas 
a  sharp  edged  instrument  denotes  an  instrument  that  is  sharp  and 
has  edges.    It  may  not  be  practicable  to  apply  the  remark  in  each 
and  all  cases ;  but  it  is  certain  that  compounds  have  often  a  signi 
fication  very  different  from  that  which  the  same  words  convey  when 
written  apart,  and  that  this  difference  should  be  indicated  by  tho 
mode  of  exhibiting  them.     Thus,  blackbird  is  properly  written  as  one 
word,  because  it  represents  a  particular  species  of  birds ;  whereas  a 
black  bird  means  any  bird  that  is  black.    A  glass-house  is  a  house  in 
which  glass  is  made,  while  a  (/lass  house  is  a  house  made  of  glass. 
The  goodman  of  a  house  may,  for  aught  we  know,  be  a  very  bad 
man ;  and  a  yood  man  may,  for  certain  reasons,  have  no  claim  what 
ever  to  the  civility  implied  in  the  use  of  the  compound:  yet  both 
terms,  if  correctly  written,  will  be  understood.  Forget  me  not  literally 
expresses  an  earnest  desire,  on  the  part  of  a  speaker  or  a  writer, 
that  he  should  be  remembered;  but,  in  a  metaphorical  sense,  the 
same  words,  when  combined,  — forget-me-not,  —  denote  a  certain 
flower,  emblematic  of  friendship  or  fidelity. 

c.  All  compounds,  therefore,  should  be  so  written  as  will  best 
exhibit  their  true  pronunciation,  and  the  ideas  intended  to  be  ex 
pressed, —  objects  which,  we  have  seen,  may  to  some  extent  be 
effected  either  by  consolidating  the  simples,  or  by  uniting  them  with 
a  hyphen.    And  here  the  rule  already  laid  down  might  naturally  be 
expected  to  come  to  our  aid,  as  being  founded  on  the  characteristics 
and  tendencies  of  the  English  language  itself.     But,  notwithstanding 
the  obvious  worth  and  utility  of  the  rule,  the  practice  of  some  of 
our  best  authors  and  printers,  as  to  the  mode  of  exhibiting  many 
of  the  compounds  in  use,  is  so  conflicting,  and  the  inconsistencies  of 
perhaps  all  our  lexicographers  are  so  numerous,  not  to  speak  of  their 
defect  in  distinguishing  the  compounds  which  have  only  one  accent 
from  those  which  have  two,  that  it  would  be  regarded  as  pedantry 
or  presumption  for  a  punctuator  to  attempt  subjecting  each  of  the 
compound  words  to  the  operation  of  the  rule;  and,  on  the  other 
hand,  it  would  be  impracticable  for  him,  without  filling  a  volume,  to 
give  perfect  lists  of  all  the  compounds,  with  the  fluctuating  and 


COMPOUND    WORDS.  211 

diflerent  modes  in  which  they  are  presented  in  dictionaries  and  other 
books.  It  will  therefore  be  our  aim  merely  to  specify  some  of  the 
exceptions  to  the  rule,  and  to  throw  out  a  few  suggestions  applicable 
to  certain  classes  of  compounds;  recommending  that,  in  all  cases 
where  the  general  and  best  usage  as  to  the  insertiou  or  the  omission 
of  the  hyphen  cannot  readily  be  learned,  recourse  be  had,  when  the 
accentuation  is  previously  known,  to  the  rule  itself. 

EXCEPTIONS  TO  THE   RULE. 

d.  According  to  the  first  section  of  the  rule,  those  simples  in  a 
compound  word  which  retain  their  original  accent  should  be  united 
by  a  hyphen.    The  exceptions  to  this  principle  are  not  very  nume 
rous,  and  consist  chiefly  —  1.  Of  a  few  compounds  in  common  use, 
such  as  everlasting,  notwithstand'ing,  which  are  universally  written, 
at  the  present  day,  each  as  one  unbroken  word:  2.  Of  such  as  termi 
nate  in  monger;  as,  bor'oughmong'er,  i'ronmong'er:  3.  Of  almost  all 
those  beginning  with  the  prepositions  over,  under;  as,  (/verbal' ance, 
un'derttandfing. 

e.  According  to  the  second  section  of  the  rule,  when  only  one  of 
the  simple  words  retains  its  original  accent  in  a  compound,  they 
are  consolidated,  being  written   without  a  hyphen.     But  to  this 
principle  there  is  a  considerable  number  of  exceptions,  which  may, 
however,  be  mostly  reduced  to  the  following  classes: — 

1.  Those  compounds  in  which  the  first  of  the  primitive  words 
ends,  and  the  second  begins,  with  the  same  letter;  as,  book? -keeping, 
ear'-ring,  glwf-worm,  nightf-time,  poo^-rate,  rear'^rank,  rough'-hewn. 
The  word  oftf  times,  however,  is  usually  written  without  the  hyphen. 

2.  Those  compounds  in  which  the  first  of  two  primitives  ends, 
and  the  second  begins,  with  a  vowel;  as,  jire'-arms,  pinef -apple,, 
peaeef -offering. 

3.  Those  whose  meaning  would  be  obscured,  or  whose  pronuncia 
tion  would  be  less  easily  hnown,  by  the  consolidation  of  the  simples; 
as,  as^ -head,  pot-herb,  » ^ -house,  firs? -rate.    The  reason  for  the 
division  of  these  and  sin  .ilar  primitives  is,  that  the  s,  t,  and  p  are 
pronounced  separately  from  the  h  following  them,  and  the  st  from 
the  r;  whereas,  when  in  their  usual  state  of  combination,  sh,  th,  ph, 
and  sir  are  each  pronounced  with  one  impulse  of  the  voice. 

4.  All  compounds  ending  with  the  word  tree;   as,  beech'-tree 
dat^ -tree,  pear' -tree,  aj/ple-tree:  also  those  terminating  with  book; 
as,  datf-book,  red'-bwk, 


212  THE    HYPHEN. 

6.  Nouns  formed  of  a  verb  and  an  adverb  or  preposition ;  as,  a 
break'-doicn,  a  kx.)kf-out,  a  startf-up :  or  of  a  present  participle  and  a 
noun ;  as,  dwtU'ing-place,  hum'miny-bird,  printing-press,  spin'niny-mill, 
wit' iny -school. 

6.  Adjectives,  or  epithets,  which  are  formed  in  a  great  variety  of 
ways ;  as,  air' -built,  heartf -broken ;  first' -born,  one* -legged,  two' '-leaved; 
iU'-bred,  above'-said,  down' -trodden ;  church' -going,  brain' -Bracking ; 
good' -looking,  hard'-working  ;  grown'-up,  unlocked' -for,  unheard'-of. 

COMPOUND   ADJECTIVES  AND   COMPOUND   NOUNS. 

f.  An  immense  majority  of  the  compound  adjectives  in  tho 
English  language,  Avhether  with  one  or  two  accents,  have  their 
primitives  united  by  a  hyphen.    A  few,  however,  of  very  common 
occurrence,  and  having  only  one  accent,  are  consolidated;  namely, 
those  which  are  the  same  as  the  one-accented  compound  nouns  from 
which  they  have  been  taken;  as,  hiyh'land:  those  formed  from  them 
either  by  adding  ed  or  ing,  or  by  changing  er  into  these  letters;  as, 
cob' webbed  (from  cob' web),  shoe' making  (from  shoe' maker):  and  those 
terminating  with   the  words  faced,  coming,  holding,  and  like;   as, 
bareffaced,  fortli' coming,  slave'holding,  child'like  (the  word  like,  how 
ever,  being  preceded  by  a  hyphen,  when  joined  to  a  proper  name,  or 
to  a  word  ending  in  1;  as,  Eve' -like,  owl' -like).     To  which  may  be 
added  the  words  anoth'er,  free'born,  in'born,  out' door. 

g.  Board,  house,  room,  side,  stone,  time,  yard,  are  usually  consoli 
dated  with  a  preceding  noun  if  of  one  syllable,  and  are  united  by  a 
hyphen  to  it  if  consisting  of  more  than  one ;  as,  cupboard ',  shovel-board; 
schooUiouse,  senate-house;  bedroom,  composition-room;  roadside,  moun 
tain-side  ;    tombstone,   eagle-stone ;    daytime,  dinner-time ;   graveyard, 
timber-yard.     But  the  word  town-house  is  commonly  hyphened;  so, 
also,  town-liatt,  seed-hatt,  &c. 

h.  The  compound  nouns  ending  in  the  word  woman  are  irregular 
in  their  form;  as,  goodtaoman,  needlewoman,  tirewoman;  market-woman, 
oyster^woman.  If,  however,  these  last  two  compounds  have  severally 
two  accents,  and  the  three  preceding  have  each  only  one,  they  will 
be  subject  to  the  main  rule,  as  given  on  page  209. 

t.  Compound  nouns  are  sometimes  formed  by  uniting  a  present 
participle  and  an  adverb  or  preposition ;  as,  the  coming-together,  the 
carryiug-away,  the  sending-off,  the  putting-down,  tlie  blotting-out.  A 
hyphen  is  inserted  betAveen  the  parts  of  all  such  compounds,  which 
are  readily  known  by  their  taking  an  article  before  them,  as  in  the 
examples  here  given. 


COMPOUND    WORDS.  213 


NOUNS   AND   PRONOUNS   IN   APPOSITION. 

j.  Nouns  in  apposition  are  written  and  printed  apart;  as,  Sister 
Anne,  Brotiier  Marshall,  Father  Taylor,  Professor  Bush,  tiie  tyrant 
Nero,  the  poet  Milton,  that  fellow  Turpin,  tiie  lily  Asphodel  But, 
when  put  before  a  common  noun,  whether  singular  or  plural,  the 
words  sister,  brother,  fellow,  severally  form  part  of  a  compound;  as, 
tiie  sister-city,  my  brotfier -ministers,  our  fellow-men  ;  and,  in  all  such 
cases,  the  hyphen  should  be  used.  Fatiierhood,  brotiierhood,  and 
sisterhood  are  not  regarded  as  exceptions;  for,  according  to  the 
distinction  made  between  compounds  .and  derivatives,  these  terms 
will  be  subject  to  Rule  II.,  p.  219;  being  each  employed  as  one  word, 
and  without  a  hyphen,  because  the  termination  hood  is  not  separately 
found,  with  the  sense  here  used,  in  the  English  language. 

k.  The  pronouns  he,  she,  are  commonly  united  by  a  hyphen, 
to  the  nouns  which  they  precede  and  qualify;  as,  he-calf,  she-asset. 
The  words  male  and  female,  when  adjectives,  are  better  put  sepa 
rately  from  the  nouns  which  they  qualify;  as,  a  male  descendant. 

NOUNS   USED   ADJECTIVELY. 

L  The  first  of  two  nouns,  when  it  denotes  the  material  or  sub 
stance  of  which  a  thing  is  made,  should  stand  apart  from  the  noun 
which  it  qualifies ;  as,  brass  pan,  brick  jloor,  glass  pitcher,  gold  ring, 
granite  building,  mud  cabin,  oak  chest,  silver  spoon,  stone  wall,  tin  basin. 
But,  when  the  nouns  so  coalesce  in  pronunciation  that  one  of  them 
has  lost  its  original  accent,  they  should  be  written  or  printed  as  one 
word ;  as,  raifroad,  rain' drop,  snou/batt. 

m.  Two  nouns  may  also  be  written  as  distinct  words,  when  the 
former  is  put  instead  of  an  adjective;  as,  an  angel  woman  (for  an 
angelic  woman),  an  anniversary  feast  (for  an  annual  feast),  business 
connections  (for  mercantile  or  trading  connections),  a  country  trip  (for 
a  rural  trip),  church  government  (for  ecclesiastical  government),  giant 
labor  (for  gigantic  labor),  gospel  truth  (for  evangelical  truth),  home  life 
(tor  domestic  life),  mountain  billows  (for  huge  billows),  the  north  wind  (for 
the  nortliern  wind),  tiie  west  part  (for  the  western  part). 

n.  The  same  remark  is  applicable  to  nouns  of  more  than  one 
syllable,  when  they  are  necessarily  used,  for  want  of  suitable  adjec 
tives,  to  express  the  nature,  quality,  or  some  modification  of  the 
nouns  before  which  they  are  placed  ;  as,  benefit  societies,  evening 
amusements,  family  party,  leisure  hours,  party  strife,  prose  urritingt 
aummer  sky,  Sunday  trowing,  village  maid. 


214  TUB    HYPHEN. 

o.  So,  also,  compound  nouns,  when  used  adjectively,  are  separated 
from  the  nouns  which  they  precede  or  qualify;  as,  pindrop  silence, 
railway  travel,  a  whalebone  rod,  the  noonday  sun ;  twenty-horse  power, 
a  custom-house  oj/icer,  the  council-room  table.  But  when  the  compound 
noun,  and  the  simple  noun  which  it  precedes,  have  altogether  but 
one  accent,  they  should  appear  as  one  word;  as,  hiyh' 'wayman, 
domes' day-book. 

p.  Two  words,  the  last  of  which  is  a  noun,  though  in  their  usual 
construction  separate,  are  hyphened  when  put  before  a  noun  which 
they  qualify,  but  are  set  apart  from  the  latter;  as,  hiyh-water  mark, 
short-metre  stanzas,  Sunday-school  system,  wild-beast  skins,  a  bird's-eye 
mew,  a  first-class  car,  a  manual-labor  business,  an  up-hill  yame,  the 
one-hour  rule. 

q.  Proper  names,  when  used  as  adjectives,  should  be  separated 
from  the  words  which  they  qualify  or  characterize;  as,  Angola 
theep,  April  fool,  Araand  lamp,  Barbary  horse,  Bristol  stone,  California 
gold,  Epsom  salts,  French  chalk,  Jamaica  pepper,  Jerusalem  artichoke, 
Madeira  wine,  Newfoundland  dog. 

NUMERAL  ADJECTIVES. 

r.  Two  numerals  expressing  a  compound  number,  if  in  their 
ordinary  construction,  are  united  by  a  hyphen  ;  as,  twenty-one, 
ninety-nine:  but  if  inverted,  and  a  conjunction  is  placed  between 
them,  so  as  to  constitute  a  phrase,  they  are  written  or  printed  apart- 
as,  three  and  thirty.  The  word  fold  is  closely  annexed  to  the  cardi 
nals  when  they  have  only  one  syllable,  but  united  to  them  by  a 
hyphen  when  they  have  more  than  one;  as,  twofold,  twelvefold; 
thirty-fold,  seventy-six-fold,  two  hundred-fold.  The  word  penny  is  sub 
ject  to  the  same  principle;  as,  threepenny, fifteen-penny.  Halfpenny 
is  an  unhyphened  compound;  but  one  penny,  two  words.  Pence, 
being  a  noun,  is  entirely  separated  from  the  numerals  which  precede 
it,  when  they  consist  of  more  than  one  syllable ;  as,  fifteen  pence : 
but,  like  the  words  fold  and  penny,  it  is  joined  without  the  hyphen, 
when  they  are  monosyllabic ;  as,  fourpence,  tenpence. 

s.  The  simple  words  in  such  terms  as  one-half,  two-thirds,  Jive- 
sixteenths, —  though,  strictly  speaking,  not  compounds,  —  are  usually 
joined  together  by  the  hyphen. 

t.  A  half-dollar,  a  quarter-barrel,  and  all  such  compounds,  ara 
written  with  a  hyphen  between  the  simple  words;  but,  when  aq 
article  or  a  preposition  intervenes,  the  parts  of  the  phrase  should  be 
separated ;  as,  half  a  pint,  quarter  of  a  pound. 


COMPOUND    WORDS.  215 


ADJECTIVES   CONSOLIDATED   WITH   NOUNS. 

u.  Adjectives  are  not  unfrequently  consolidated  with  the  nouna 
which  they  precede,  when  the  compound  thus  formed  admits  of 
but  one  accent;  as,  blackboard,  bluebottle,  foreground,  freemason, 
ylatsworlcs,  goldsmith,  hardhead,  highlands,  hotspur,  longboat,  lowlands, 
madhouse,  mainmast,  redbreast,  roundhead,  safeguard,  stronghold, 
sweetbread,  twelvemonth,  wildfire,. 

v.  Freewill  —  having,  when  used  adjectively,  the  accent  on  the 
first  syllable ;  as,  afree'will  offering  —  should  be  written  as  one  word; 
but,  when  employed  in  its  proper  character  as  a  compound  noun, 
with  the  accent  on  the  last  syllable,  the  hyphen  may  be  inserted 
between  its  parts ;  as,  the  doctrine  of  free-will' '. 

w.  Anybody,  everybody,  somebody,  nobody,  indicating  persons,  are, 
in  this  form,  distinguished  from  the  phrases  any  body,  every  body,  no 
body,  some  body,  which,  as  separate  words,  and  with  a  pronunciation 
different  from  that  of  the  first  class,  refer  to  inorganic  substances. 
Something  and  nothing  have  also  coalesced  in  pronunciation  and 
form;  but  every  thing  and  any  thing  (like  the  words  anyone  and  every 
one)  may  follow  the  analogy  of  the  language,  by  which  adjective* 
are  separated  from  the  nouns  which  they  qualify. 

x.  When  the  noun  which  is  qualified  by  an  adjective  retains  its 
original  accent,  the  two  words  should  not  appear  as  a  compound, 
either  with  or  without  the  hyphen.  In  the  following  and  other 
phrases,  therefore,  which  are  sometimes  written  as  compounds,  the 
adjectives  should  stand  apart:  Animal  magnetism,  armed  chair,  attic 
story,  blank  verse,  common  sense,  earthen  ware,  good  nature,  good  mil, 
ill  humor,  old  age,  old  maid,  redeeming  love,  the  black  art. 

y.  Such  abbreviated  sentences  as  good-morning,  good-night,  good-by 
may  have  a  hyphen  between  the  parts  of  which  they  consist. 

NAMES   OF   PLACES. 

«.  Names  of  cities  and  other  places,  when  formed  of  common 
nouns,  are  consolidated;  as,  Barnstable,  Bridgewater,  Fairhaven, 
Newport,  Southbridge.  When  the  second  of  the  primitives  is  in  itself 
a  proper  name,  it  should  be  set  apart  from  the  first;  as,  North 
Britain,  New  York:  though,  in  spite  of  analogy,  there  are  a  few 
exceptions;  as,  Easthampton  and  Southampton  (the  /»,  in  the  latter 
word,  being  omitted),  which  usually  appear  as  undivided  words. 

2  a.  But  those  parts  of  the  names  of  places  which,  according  to  the 
usual  construction,  are  disconnected  should  be  united  by  a  hyphen 


216  THE    UYPHEJS. 

when  they  are  employed  as  adjectives;  as,  the  South- Boston  foundry 
the  New-England  people,  the  East- India  Company.  This  remark  is 
well  illustrated  by  Mr.  Goold  Brown,  in  his  work,  "  The  Grammar 
of  English  Grammars,"  p.  159:  "  In  modern  compound  names,  the 
hyphen  is  now  less  frequently  used  than  it  was  a  few  years  ago. 
They  seldom,  if  ever,  need  it,  unless  they  are  employed  as  adjectives; 
and  then  there  is  a  manifest  propriety  in  inserting  it.  Thus  the 
phrase,  the  New  London  Bridge,  can  be  understood  only  of  a  new 
bridge  in  London;  and,  if  we  intend  by  it  a  bridge  in  New  London, 
we  must  say,  the  New-London  Bridge.  So  the  New  York  Directory  ia 
not  properly  a  directory  for  New  York,  but  a  new  directory  for 
York." 

2  b.  So,  also,  the  word  street,  when  forming  part  of  a  compound 
epithet,  is  connected  by  a  hyphen  with  the  word  preceding  it;  as, 
a  Washington-street  omnibus :  but,  when  otherwise  used,  it  is  better 
written  or  printed  separately;  as,  Washington  Street,  Boston.  The 
same  rule  will  hold  good  in  respect  to  such  wbrds  as  place,  square, 
court,  &c. ;  as,  "  Howard-place  Church  and  Crown-court  Chapel  are 
situated  not  far  from  Pemberton  Square,  New  Brixton." 

THE   POSSESSIVE   CASE. 

2  c.  When  the  possessive  case,  and  the  word  which  governs  it, 
do  not  literally  convey  the  idea  of  property,  or  have  lost  this  signi 
fication,  they  are  connected  by  means  of  a  hyphen ;  as,  Job's-tears, 
Solomon' s-seal,  Jesuits' -bark,  bear"1  s-foot,  goafs-beard ;  Jew's-harp  ;  St. 
Vitus's-dance,  the  king's-evil.  As  compounds,  these  words  do  not 
severally  denote  the  tears  which  the  Arabian  patriarch  shed,  a  seal 
belonging  to  the  wise  Hebrew  ruler,  bark  which  is  the  property  of 
Jesuits,  the  foot  of  a  bear,  the  beard  of  a  goat,  the  harp  of  a  Jew,  the 
dance  of  St.  Vitus,  the  evil  of  the  king.  But,  were  the  primitive 
words  from  which  they  are  formed  put  separately,  they  would  have 
these  meanings. 

2d  When,  however,  institutions,  churches,  law-courts,  places, 
rivers,  &c.,  are  called  after  distinguished  men,  the  names  put  in 
the  possessive  case  are  separated  from  those  of  the  objects  which 
they  characterize;  as,  St.  Mary's  College,  St.  Peter's  Church,  St. 
Paul's  Churchyard,  Queen's  Bench,  Van  Diemen's  Land,  Merchants' 
Exchange,  tfie  St.  John's  River.  The  names  of  holydays,  if  similarly 
formed,  may  be  written  or  printed  in  the  same  manner;  as,  New 
Year's  Day,  All  SaintJ  Day.  In  all  such  phrases,  the  hyphen  is  not 
required,  because  they  have  severally  but  one  signification. 


COMPOUND    WORDS.  217 

2  «.  If  the  possessive  case,  and  the  noun  governing  it',  are  used  vn 
the  literal  sense  of  the  words,  and  have  only  one  accent,  they  should 
be  written  or  printed  as  a  compound,  without  either  apostrophe  or 
hyphen  ;  as,  beeswax,  craftsmaster,  doomsday,  hogslard,  kinswoman, 
lambswool  (but,  if  meaning  ale  mixed  with  sugar,  &c.,  lamb's-wool, 
according  to  Remark  2  c),  newspaper,  ratsbane,  townsman,  tradesman. 

COMPOUND   PRONOUNS   AND   ADVERBS. 

If.  Compound  pronouns  have  always  their  parts  consolidated; 
as,  yourself,  himself,  herself,  itself,  themselves,  ownself,  ownselvea ; 
whoever,  whomsoever,  whatever,  whatsoever.  One's  self  is  probably  a 
phrase,  and  not,  as  is  sometimes  written,  a  compound,  —  oneself  or 
one's-self.  I  myself  is  also  a  phrase,  or  two  words  in  apposition. 

2  g.  Compound  adverbs  are,  generally  speaking,  consolidated ;  as, 
altogether,  awhile,  beforehand,  evermore,  henceforward,  indeed,  instead, 
everywhere,  nowhere,  nevertheless,  somehow,  nowise,  anywise,  likewise, 
wherewithal,  hereupon,  whithersoever.  But  to-day,  to-night,  to-morrow, 
are  almost  universally  printed  with  a  hyphen.  So  also  now-a-days  ,- 
and  perhaps  such  words  as  inside-out,  upside-down.  There  is  a  ten 
dency  on  the  part  of  American  printers  to  spell  the  words  for  ever 
as  one  continuous  compound;  but  they  everywhere  occur  in  the 
common  version  of  the  Bible  as  a  phrase ;  and,  the  eye  being  thus 
accustomed  to  their  separation,  it  would  probably  be  better  to  retain 
this  form.  By  and  by  are  obviously  three  words,  though  sometimes 
written  as  a  compound. 

COMPOUND  AND  OTHER  PHRASES. 

2  h.  All  phrases  which  are  thrown  out  of  their  usual  order,  and, 
by  a  strange  collocation,  put  before  the  nouns  which  they  are  made 
to  qualify,  should  have  a  hyphen  between  their  parts;  as,  some 
out-of-the-world  place,  a  matter-off  act-looking  town,  long-looked-for 
news,  out-of-door  business,  raw-head-and-bloody-bonea  stories,  the  always- 
vnnd-obeying  deep,  the  ever-to-be-honored  Chaucer,  the  half-burnt-through 
bottom  of  the  saucepan,  well-laid-out  parks. 

2 1.  When  epithets  are  formed  of  an  adverb  ending  in  ly  and  ol  a 
participle,  the  two  words  are  usually  separated  without  the  hyphen ; 
as,  a  newly  built  house,  a  beautifully  formed  pen.  The  reason  probably 
is,  that  the  structure  of  such  adverbs  does  not  easily  admit  of  their 
junction  with  the  words  modified. 

2j.  When  a  noun  is  placed  before  an  adverb  or  preposition  and 
a  participle,  these  do  not  make  a  compound  epithet,  and  should 


218  THE    HYPHEN. 

therefore  be  written  or  printed  as  two  words;  as,  a  catalogue  well 
arranged,  love  ill  requited,  the  place  before  mentioned. 

2k.  Words  in  phrases  should  be  written  and  printed  separately; 
as,  above  att,  after  all,  at  second  hand,  balm  of  Gilead,  cheek  by  jowl,  in 
any  wise  (but,  without  the  preposition,  and  as  an  adverb,  anywi*e)t 
might  and  main,  rank  and  Jile,  tit  for  tat,  tootii  and  naiL  Of  such 
phrases,  however,  as  father-in-law,  attorney-at-law,  commander-in 
chief,  the  parts  are  usually  connected  by  a  hyphen. 

2  L  When  a  compound  phrase  is  formed  of  two  or  more  words 
which  are  severally  associated  in  sense  with  one  term,  the  primitives 
should  stand  apart;  as,  cannon  and  musket  balls.  Were  a  hyphen 
inserted  between  "  musket "  and  "  balls,"  the  meaning  of  the  phrase 
would  not  be  cannon-balls  and  musket-balls,  but  cannon,  or  large 
guns,  and  also  balls  for  the  musket.  The  following  are  additional 
examples :  Household  and  needle  work ;  land  and  river  travel ;  a  chief 
or  master  builder ;  the  watch  and  clock  repairing  business ;  a  son  and 
daughter  in  law ;  second,  third,  or  fourth  rate  effects.  Some  would 
insert  a  hyphen  between  the  parts  of  the  last  compound,  and  attach 
it  to  the  disjointed  words ;  as,  iron-,  cotton-,  silk-,  print-,  and  dye-works : 
but,  though  more  correct,  this  is  a  German  mode  of  exhibiting  such 
compounds,  with  which  the  English  eye  is  not  familiar.  All  diffi 
culty  would  be  obviated,  were  the  phrases  changed  into  language 
more  grammatical. 

2m.  All  foreign  phrases  should  be  written  and  printed  as  they 
are  found  in  the  language  from  which  they  are  taken;  as,  "John 
Sharp,  Secretary  pro  tempore"  —  "  It  was  a  sine  qua  non,  an  indis 
pensable  condition,  that  an  agreement  should  be  entered  into."  — 
"  William  said  in  Latin,  Vade  mecum,  Go  with  me."  But  such 
phrases,  if  they  are  used  before  nouns,  or  have  been  incorporated 
into  the  English  language,  should  follow  the  common  analogy;  as, 
u  John  was  elected  pro-tempore  Secretary."  —  "  This  was  a  sine-qua- 
non  business."  —  "  That  little  book  is  an  excellent  vade-mecum." 


For  further  information  on  this  difficult  subject,  the  reader  is  referred  to 
Mr.  Goold  Brown's  invaluable  work,  before  quoted;  from  which,  while  ven 
turing  in  some  respects  to  differ  in  opinion,  we  have  derived  not  a  little 
assistance  as  to  the  nature  of  compounds,  and  the  forms  in  which  they  should 
be  presented.  But  the  subject  is  not  exhausted;  and  he  who,  with  the 
scholarship  and  industry  of  that  gentleman,  will  devote  himself  to  the  classi 
fication  of  all  the  compounds  in  the  language,  would  perform  a  good  service 
to  a  branch  of  literature  which  has  been  sadly  neglected. 


DERIVATIVE    WORDS.  219 

RULE    II. 

Prefixes  in  Derivative  Words. 

§  I.  If  a  prefix  ends  with  a  vowel,  and  the  word 
with  which  it  is  combined  begins  with  a  consonant ;  or 
if  the  former  ends  with  a  consonant,  and  the  latter 
begins  with  a  vowel  or  a  consonant,  —  the  compound 
thus  formed  should  appear  as  one  unbroken  word. 

§  II.  If,  however,  the  prefix  ends,  and  the  word  to 
which  it  is  united  begins,  with  a  vowel,  —  both  vowels 
being  separately  pronounced,  —  they  should  be  con 
nected  with  a  hyphen. 


EXAMPLES. 

4   II. 


1.  Predetermine,  resell,  antedate. 

2.  Counteraction,  multangular. 

8    Supernatural,  contemporaneous. 


1.  Pre-occupy,  re-echo,  ante-act. 

2.  Contra-indication,  retro-enter 

3.  Supra-orbital,  co-eternal. 


REMARKS. 

a.  When  the  prefix  ends  with  a  vowel,  and  is  followed  by  a  word 
beginning  also  with  a  vowel,  many  writers  and  printers  place  a  diae 
resis  over  the  latter,  instead  of  a  hyphen  between  them;  as,  coeval. 
But  this  mode  of  exhibiting  derivatives  does  not  seem  to  accord 
with  the  genius  of  the  English  language,  which,  in  ordinary  compo 
sition,  dispenses  with  accentual  marks.  It  would,  therefore,  probably 
be  better  to  reserve  the  use  of  the  diaeresis  for  words  containing  two 
vowels  separately  pronounced,  but  not  capable  of  being  divided, 
except  for  the  purpose  of  syllabication  and  at  the  end  of  a  line,  by 
the  hyphen ;  as  in  Beelzebub,  and  in  borrowed  foreign  words 

6.  The  adverbs  afore  and  /ore,  having  now  become  almost  obso 
lete  as  separate  words,  are  regarded  as  mere  prefixes ;  which  should, 
therefore,  without  regard  to  accent,  be  subject  to  the  present  rale; 
as,  aforegoing,  foi^edeiermined,  fore-ordained.  —  See  p.  208,  Rem.  b. 

c.  As  an  exception  to  the  first  section  of  the  rule,  it  is  worthy 
of  remark,  that  a  derivative  which  might  be  mistaken  for  a  word 
with  the  same  letters,  but  a  different  meaning,  should  be  distin- 


220  THE    HYPHEN. 

guished  from  it  by  the  insertion  of  a  hyphen  between  its  part? 
Thus,  re-creation,  denoting  a  new  creation,  is  obviously  a  more 
appropriate  form  of  this  word  than  recreation,  which,  besides  being 
differently  pronounced,  signifies  refreshment,  or  relaxation  after  toil. 
Thus,  also,  a  difference  exists  in  meaning  and  pronunciation  between 
re-collect  and  recollect;  re-form, re-formation, and  reform, reformation' 
which  it  is  necessary  to  exhibit  in  corresponding  modes.  With  the 
exception  of  such  words,  the  manner  of  writing  derivatives  having 
the  prefix  re  is  governed  by  the  rule. 

d.  Terms  or  epithets  with  prefixes  of  unusual  occurrence,  par- 
ticularly  if  the  compounds  thus  formed  have  two  accents,  should 
be  excepted  from  the  operation  of  the  first  branch  of  the  rule ;  as, 
astro-theology,  concavo-convex,  deutero-canonical,  electro-magnetism. 

e.  The  prefixes  of  proper  names,  or  words  used  as  such,  substan- 
tively  or  adjectively,  follow  both  sections  of  the  rule;  as,  Antenicene^, 
Antichrist,  &c.,  Antitrinitarian,  Pedobaptist,  Cisalpine,  Transatlantic  ; 
Anti-American,  Pre-Adamic*     But   the  words  Neo-Platonic,  Anglo- 
Saxon,  Scoto-IJibernian,  and  others  of  a  similar  kind,  accord  in  theil 
forms  with  those  referred  to  in  Remark  d. 

f.  Extra  is  sometimes  used  as  an  adjective,  and  separated  from 
the  noun  which  it  qualifies;  as,  extra  pay,  extra  work.     As  a  prefix 
in  extraordinary,  it  is  not  followed  by  a  hyphen,  because  its  last 
letter  (a),  though  coming  before  a  vowel,  is  silent  in  pronunciation. 

g.  The  letter  a,  when  by  a  colloquialism  it  represents  one  of  the 
prepositions  on,  in,  at,  to,  should  be  united,  without  a  hyphen,  to 
the  following  word,  if  consisting  of  only  one  syllable;  as,  aboard, 
abed,  afield,  apiece. 

h.  Bi  and  tri  are  usually  consolidated  with  the  words,  or  parts  of 
words,  to  which  they  are  prefixed;  as,  biennial;  triunity,  triune. 

t.  Vicegerency,  vicegerent,  viceroyal,  and  viceroyalty  are,  in  accord 
ance  with  the  rule,  written  each  as  one  word.  The  other  words,  of 
which  vice  is  a  prefix,  are,  by  almost  universal  custom,  hyphened; 
as,  vice-president,  vice-chancellor,  &c. 

j.  Bi,  ante,  anti,  counter,  contra,  super,  supra,  semi,  demi,  preler, 
and  other  common  prefixes,  are  sometimes  printed  with  a  hyphen 
after  them;  but  there  seem  to  be  no  just  grounds  for  this  division, 
except  when' two  vowels  would  otherwise  come  together,  or  when  a 
dissyllabic  prefix  ends  with  the  same  consonant  with  which  the  next 
portion  of  a  long  word  begins ;  as,  anti-evangelical,  counter-revolution. 
To  make  any  exceptions  besides  these,  and  a  few  others  such  aa 
those  noticed  above,  would  lead  to  inextricable  confusion. 


COMPOUNDS    AND    DERIVATIVES.  221 


ORAL   EXKKCISES. 

Sfune  kow  the  Rules  and  tlie  Remarks  (pp.  209-20)  apply  to  the  insertion  oj 
hyphens  in  certain,  words,  or  to  their  omission  in  certain  phrases,  u>Aic/i 
oscur  in  the  following  sentences  >  — 

Better  be  trampled  in  the  dust  than  trample  on  a  fellow-creature. 

Never  put  off  till  to-morrow  what  you  can  do  to-day. 

We  have  no  doubt  that  instinct  is  a  Heaven-ordained  law. 

What  the  nations  look  for  is  a  loving  and  life-giving  religion. 

Keen-eyed  revenge  is  riding  round  your  ranks. 

When  the  wind-god  frowns  in  the  murky  skies. 

0  sailor-boy,  sailor-boy !  peace  to  thy  soul ! 

He  spoke  no  warrior-word,  he  bade  no  trumpet  blow. 

And  soft-eyed  cherub-forms  around  thee  play. 

The  most  remarkable  winds  are  those  denominated  the  trade-winds. 

Many  are  the  advantages  of  co-operation. 

Self-abasement  paved  the  way  to  villain  bonds  and  despot  sway. 

Like  ocean-weeds  heaped  on  the  surf-beaten  shore. 

Imagination  is  the  truth-seeing  and  the  beauty-seeing  power. 

Ben  Jouson,  the  great  dramatist,  was  co-eval  with  Shakspeare 

The  silver  mines  of  Mexico  and  Peru  far  exceed  hi  value  the 
whole  of  the  European  and  Asiatic  mines. 

Man  possesses  the  great  privilege  of  co-operating  with  his  bene 
ficent  Creator. 

Philosophy  will  rise  again  in  the  sky  of  her  Franklin,  and  glorv 
rekindle  at  the  urn  of  her  Washington. 

There  is  little  of  the  intellectual  or  moral  in  that  sort  of  independ 
ence  which  is  the  proverbial  characteristic  of  our  countrymen. 

Would  that  that  noble  people  were  re-instated  hi  all  their  ancient 
privileges ! 

The  instincts  of  multitudes  feel  afar  the  gathering  earthquake, 
which  is  to  swallow  up  caste,  privileges,  and  unjust  distinctions. 

Let  your  lately  formed  engagements  be  fulfilled  with  perfect  good 
faith. 

The  shrieks  of  agony  and  clang  of  arms  re-echo  to  the  fierce 
alarms  her  trump  terrific  blows. 

Illiterate  and  ill-bred  persons  are  apt  to  be  verbose,  contradictory, 
and  loud  in  conversation. 

There  is  a  mother-heart  in  all  children,  as  well  as  a  child-hoan 
in  all  mothers. 


222  THE    IIl'rilKN. 

Nature  cries  aloud  for  freedom  as  our  proper  guide,  oar  birthright, 
and  our  end. 

Thousands  of  state-projects,  on  the  vastest  scale,  have  been  con- 
ceived,  executed,  and  forgotten. 

Deep-hearted  practical  faithfulness  is  not  separable  long  from 
true-thoughted  practical  faith. 

In  the  face  of  the  young  fop  above  mentioned  was  seen  an  imper 
tinent  smile  of  affectation. 

They  are  but  sluggards  in  well-doing  who  know  to  do  good  only 
when  they  have  a  purse  in  their  hand. 

If  man  could  ascend  to  dwell  at  the  fountainhead  of  truth,  he 
would  be  re-absorbed  in  God. 

In  moments  of  clear,  calm  thought,  I  feel  more  for  the  wrong-doer 
than  for  him  who  is  wronged. 

Edward  the  Sixth  was  a  boy-king  and  a  puppet-prince,  invested 
with  supreme  power,  but  acting  without  any  volition  of  his  own. 

The  term  u  bridegroom,"  strange  as  it  seems,  is  given  to  a  newly 
married  man. 

Education  can  hardly  be  too  intellectual,  unless  by  intellectual 
you  mean  parrot-knowledge,  and  other  modes  of  mind-slaughter. 

The  churchyard  bears  an  added  stone ;  the  fireside  shows  a  vacant 
chair. 

Columbus  was  for  years  an  all  but  neart-broken  suitor  to  royal 
stocks  and  stones. 

Many  who  have  worshipped  within  these  walls  are  now  in  the 
higher  house,  in  the  church  of  the  First-born. 

If  any  one  affirms  that  the  juxtaposition  of  a  number  of  particles 
makes  a  hope,  he  affirms  a  proposition  to  which  I  can  attach  no 
idea. 

In  shipwrecks  we  are  furnished  with  some  of  the  most  remark 
able  examples  of  trust  in  God,  of  unconquerable  energy,  and  of 
tender,  self-sacrificing  love. 

The  fair-weather  sailor  may  equip  himself  tolerably  from  the 
storehouse  of  Epicurus;  but  stronger  tackle  will  be  needed  when 
the  masts  are  bending  and  the  cordage  straining  in  the  storm. 

A  man  of  no  feeling  must  necessarily  be  unhappy,  since  the 
texture  of  his  heart  affords  him  no  superabundant  sensibility  for 
the  sufferings  of  his  fellow-creatures. 

You  talk  of  the  prosperity  of  your  city.  Do  not  point  me  to  your 
thronged  streets.  Is  it  a  low-minded,  self-seeking,  gold- worshipping, 
man-despising  crowd  which  I  see  rushing  through  them  ? 


COMPOfJNDS    AND    DERIVATIVES.  223 


EXERCISE  TO  BE  WRITTEN. 

In  this  exercise,  let  the  compound  and  derivative  words  be  written  agreeably  to 
the  two  preceding1  Rules  and  the  Remarks :  — 

Genius  has  no  chartered  license  to  wander  away  from  the  eternal 
land  marks  of  morality.  (Rule  I.,  $  n.) 

The  selfish  use  rules  as  means  of  self  indulgence,  and  the  narrow 
minded  over  look  the  end  in  the  means.  (Rule  I.,  $§  I.  and  n.) 

Every  rail  road,  connecting  distant  regions,  may  be  regarded  as 
accomplishing  a  ministry  of  peace.  (Rule  I.,  §  n.) 

Genius,  in  its  highest  function,  cannot  co  exist  with  a  corrupted 
moral  sentiment.  (Rule  II.,  $  n.) 

The  new  moon  silvered  the  lofty  pines,  and  the  stars  twinkled 
with  rare  brilliancy  from  their  dark  blue  depths.  (Rule  L,  §  I.) 

He  who  has  a  good  son  in  law  has  gained  a  son :  he  who  has  a 
bad  one  has  lost  a  daughter.  (Rule  I.,  Remark  2  k.) 

What  is  religious  instruction  to  the  vain,  the  frivolous,  the  in 
different,  the  pre  occupied  and  fore  closed  mind?  (Rule  II.) 

Is  a  woman  ambitious  to  ply  a  black  smith's  hammer,  when  she 
can  wield  so  cunningly  the  thin,  flitting  sword  of  the  spirit? 
•kRule  L,  §  n.) 

The  distance  of  the  earth  from  the  sun  is,  in  round  numbers,  one 
hundred  millions  of  miles;  which  is,  of  course,  the  radius  or  semi 
diameter  of  its  orbit.  (Rule  II.,  $  i.) 

Perhaps  the  sermons  which  have  cost  a  clergy  man  the  least 
effort  may  some  times  have  the  most  effect  on  his  hearers.  (Rule  1., 
§  II.;  and  Remark  2  g.) 

The  ordinary  processes  of  direct  instruction  are  of  immense  im 
portance  ;  but  they  pre  suppose  in  the  mind  to  which  they  are 
applied  an  active  co  operation.  (Rule  II.,  §§  i.  and  n.) 

As  some  instruments  are  tuned  with  a  tuning  fork,  some  dis 
courses  seem  to  have  been  pitched  with  a  pitch  fork.  (Rule  L, 
Remark  e  5,  and  §  n.) 

The  faith  of  the  first  Christians  expressed  itself  in  vehement 
re  action  against  the  prevailing  tendencies  of  an  exceedingly  cor 
rupted  civilization.  (Rule  II.,  $  u.) 

He  is  gone  on  the  mountain,  he  is  lost  to  the  forest, 
Like  a  summer  dried  fountain,  when  our  need  was  the  sorest : 
The  fount,  re  appearing,  from  the  rain  drops  shall  borrow ; 
But  to  us  comes  no  cheering,  to  Duncan  no  morrow. 

(Rule  I.,  JI-;  U-,  f  n  ;  I.,  n.) 


224  THE    HYPHEN. 


RULE    III. 

Tho  Division  of  Words  into  Syllables,  according  to  their 
Pronunciation. 

The  hyphen  is  u^ed  between  the  syllables  of  a  wor-J, 
to  exhibit,  as  accurately  as  possible,  its  true  pronuncia 
tion  ;  no  regard  being  paid  to  the  mode  in  which  it  has 
been  formed  or  derived. 


hab-it 
pref-ace 
trib-ute 
proph-«t 


EXAMPLES. 

ap-a-thy 
pref-er-enoe 
trin-i-ty 
po-lyg-a-my 


as-tron-o-my 
an-tip-o-des 
bi-og-ra-pher 
rev-e-la-tion 


REMARKS. 

a.  A  syllable  is  a  combination  of  letters  uttered  by  one  impulse 
of  the  voice;  as  hob  or  ha  in  the  word  habit,  according  to  the  specific 
principle  of  syllabication  which  may  be  adopted.     A  single  letter  of 
a  word,  pronounced  by  itself,  is  also  termed  a  syllable ;  as  i  or  o  in 
the  exclamation  to  / 

b.  The  mode  of  syllabication  laid  down  in  the  rule  is,  unques 
tionably,  the  only  one  fitted  for  conveying  the  true  sounds  of  words, 
or  rather  for  making  some  approach  to  an  accurate  pronunciation; 
and  all  spelling-books  should  be  constructed  on  this  principle,  —  a 
principle  which,  though  recommended  by  Dr.  Lowth  and  adopted 
by  lexicographers,  has  been  neglected  by  some  of  our  most  popular 
writers  of  elementary  works  for  children.     It  must,  however,  be 
acknowledged,  that  many  words  are  divided  in  the  same  manner, 
whether  regard  be  had  to  their  pronunciation,  or  to  the  mode  in 
which  they  have  been  formed ;  as,  horse-man,  sa-cred,  be-ing,  na-tion, 
a-mend-ment;  and  that  there  are  others,  the  true  sounds  of  which 
cannot  be  correctly  shown  by  any  kind  of  syllabication,  without  a 
change  in  the  letters ;  such  as  the  words  acid,  docile,  ancient,  specif y* 
digit,  register. 

c.  The  rule  given  above  is  adopted  by  American  printers  in  the 
division  of  such  words  as  cannot  be  entirely  brought  into  one  and 
the  same  line;  but  the  rule  which  follows  is  generally  preferred  by 
British  typographers 


SYLLABICATION.  225 


RULE    IV. 

The  Division  of  Words  into  Syllables,  according  to  their  Form, 
Derivation,  or  Meaning. 

The  hyphen  is  employed  in  words  in  such  a  manner 
as  is  best  calculated  to  show  their  origin,  composition, 
or  import,  and  to  exhibit  the  syllables  in  their  neatest 
form. 

EXAMPLES. 


ha-bit 

pro-face 

tri-bute 

pro-phet 


a-pa-thy 
pre-fer-ence 
tri-ni-ty 
po-ly-ga-my 


REMARKS. 


as-tro-no-my 
an-ti-po-des 
bi-o-gra-pher 
re-ve-la-tion 


a.  Agreeably  to  this  rule,  and  partially  in  accordance  with  that 
which  precedes  it,  — 

1.  Compound  and  derivative  words  are  resolved  into  their  primi 
tives  ;  as,  school-master,  hand-writing,  pen-knife,  snuff-box,  looking-glass ; 
arch-angel,  geo-logy,  theo-cracy,  ortho-graphy. 

2.  Prefixes,  affixes,  and  grammatical  terminations,  are  separated; 
as,    dis-continue,   en-able,    trans-port;    shear-er,    kad-ed,   print-ing; 
Idng-dom,  false-hood,  differ-ence,  command-went. 

3.  Two  vowels,  not  being  a  diphthong,  are  divided;   as,  la-tfy, 
a-eri-al,  re-al,  stere-otype,  vi-al,  pi-ety,  li-on,  tri-umph,  co-alesce,  po-et, 
medi-um,  zo-ology,  vow-el,  cru-etiy,  vacu-um. 

4.  One  consonant  between  two  vowels  is  to  be  joined  to  the  latter 
syllable ;   as,  ta-lent,  fa-tal ;  me-lon,  le-ver ;  spi-rit,  si-lence ;  cy-nic, 
ty-ro;  le-ga-cy,  mo-no-po-ly.     Except  x,  and  single  consonants  when 
they  belong  to  the  former  portion  of  a  derivative  word;  as,  ac-ile. 
es>-ist,  ex-amine  ;  up-on,  dis-ease,  circum-ambient. 

6.  Two  or  more  consonants  belong  to  the  latter  syllable,  when 
they  are  capable  of  beginning  a  word ;  as,  ta-bk,  sti-Jle,  lu-cre,  o-gle, 
mau-gre,  stro-phe,  de-stroy. 

6.  But  when  the  consonants  cannot  begin  a  word,  or  when  the 

vowel  preceding  them  is  short,  the  first  should  be  separated;  as. 

ab-bey,  ac-cent,  vel-lum,  ab-ject,  gar-den,  lawn-dry,  pam-phlet ; 

detriment,  blas-pheme,  dis-tress,  min-strel. 

15 


226  THE    HYPHEN. 

b.  It  is  desirable  that  compound  and  derivative  words  should,  at 
the  ends  of  lines,  be  divided  in  such  a  manner  as  to  indicate  their 
principal  parts.     Thus,  school-master  is  preferable  to  tchoolmas-ter^ 
dis-approve  to  disap-prove,  resent-ment  to  re-sentment,  ortho-doxy  to 
or-thwloxy ;  though,  as  regards  the  analysis  of  words  into  syllables, 
the  latter  mode  is  unobjectionable.     From  the  narrowness  of  tho 
printed  line,  however,  in  some  books,  the  principle  recommended 
cannot  always  be  adhered  to. 

c.  The  terminations  tion,  sion,  rial,  tial,  and  many  others,  formerly 
pronounced  as  two  syllables,  but  now  only  as  one,  must  not  be 
divided  either  in  spelling  or  at  the  end  of  a  line. 

d.  A  syllable  consisting  of  only  one  letter,  as  the  a  in  cre-ation, 
should  not  commence  a  line.    This  word  would  be  better  divided, 
crea-tion ;  and  so  all  others  of  a  similar  kind.     But  such  a  syllable, 
coming  immediately  after  a  primitive,  is  by  some  printers  brought 
to  the  beginning;  as,  consider-dble. 

e.  A  line  of  print  must  not  end  with  the  first  syllable  of  a  word, 
•when  it  consists  of  a  single  letter;  as,  a-bide,  e-normous:  nor  begin 
•with  the  last  syllable,  when  it  is  formed  of  only  two  letters;  as, 
nation-al,  teach-er,  similar-ly.     For  regard  should  be  had  to  the  prin 
ciples  of  taste  and  beauty,  as  well  as  to  the  laws  of  syllabication. 

/.  Three  or  more  successive  lines  should  not  end  with  a  hyphen. 
A  little  care  on  the  part  of  the  compositor  will,  in  general,  prevent 
an  appearance  so  offensive  to  a  good  eye.  Divisions,  indeed,  except 
for  purposes  of  spelling  and  lexicography,  should  take  place  as 
seldom  as  possible. 


EXERCISES   TO    BE  WRITTEN. 

Divide  the  following  words  agreeably  to  both  the  preceding  Rules ;  namely, 
according  to  their  pronunciation,  and  according  to  their  composition  or 
derivation :  — 

Habit,  vivid,  considerable,  speculative,  philosophy,  modification, 
govern,  individual,  phenomenon,  knowledge,  elaborate,  academical, 
progress,  critical,  vacuum,  labyrinth,  animal,  physiology,  revelation, 
constituent,  reciprocally,  vigor,  accredited,  curiosity,  magnificent, 
privacy,  cherish,  valuable,  apology,  idolater,  equilibrium,  solemn, 
separate,  metaphysics,  liberal,  modern,  preface,  gratify,  biography, 
literature,  nominal,  philanthropy,  theocracy,  barometer,  preparation, 
figure,  natural,  prelude,  clamor,  reformation,  metropolis,  represent, 
recognize,  rhetoric,  diminish,  articulate,  peasant,  antipodes,  misery, 


SYLLABICATION.  227 

recriminate,  floriferous,  desolate,  preference,  dedicate,  bibliopolist, 
eloquent,  irregular,  ventriloquist,  memorable,  reputation,  doxology, 
conspiracy,  general,  desultory,  contribute,  omnivorous,  typographer, 
oblivion,  democracy,  polygamy,  citizen,  stenography,  parish,  talent, 
melodist,  borough,  prisoner,  promise,  clever,  metal,  discrimination, 
theology,  cylinder,  paradise,  monitory,  solitude,  sycophant,  nobility, 
cavalcade,  rivulet,  profitable,  integrity,  relative,  jealous. 


Insert  the  hyphen  in  those  places  only  in  which  the  division  appears  best  at  Vis 
end  and  the  beginning  of  linen,  according  to  the  Remarks,  p.  226 :  — 

Philosophy,  intermediate,  theology,  magnificence,  venturesome, 
biographer,  questionable,  lithography,  professing,  zoology,  demigod, 
personate,  widowhood,  kaleidoscope,  periphrasis,  supervisor,  geology, 
animation,  abhorrence,  government,  tautology,  permanent,  classical, 
forgetfulness,  superficial,  congenial,  circumstances,  metamorphosis, 
subdivision,  patronage,  subordinate,  beneficent,  resistless,  sufficient, 
superhuman,  pantheism,  disappointment,  typographical,  microscope, 
disinterestedness,  benevolence,  superficial,  contradiction,  sensibility, 
happiness,  misanthropy,  imperfect,  circumference,  counteracting, 
disproportionately,  excitement,  semicircle,  predominate,  artificial, 
portfolio,  equilibrium,  manufacture,  preternatural,  nomenclature, 
supernumerary,  terraqueous,  malefactor,  primogeniture,  resemble, 
suicide,  transaction,  intercept,  education,  counterfeit,  superlative, 
transgression,  supernatural,  predestinate,  typography,  polysyllable, 
introduction,  confident,  philology,  sympathy,  misinform,  spiritless, 
provision,  appearance,  belonging,  cleverness,  uniform,  outnumber, 
bedchamber,  gardening,  fishmonger,  disrespectful,  plenipotentiary, 
doctorship,  neighborhood,  bedlamite,  nonconformity,  nightingale, 
antediluvian,  parsonage,  correspond,  forgetfulness,  superabundant, 
metaphorically,  hydrophobia,  antitrinitarian,  putrefaction,  alteration, 
haughtiness,  semidiameter,  improvement,  proposition,  serpentine, 
disjunction,  intercourse,  animalcule,  bookselling,  commonwealth, 
colloquial,  reasoning,  polyglot,  puerility,  correctness,  understanding, 
preliminary,  qualification,  attaining,  composition,  commencement, 
incompetence,  exclusive,  disapprobation,  adventure,  introduction, 
gentleman,  trinity,  acquaintance,  consciousness,  transubstantiation, 
considering,  persuasion,  trigonometry,  parallelogram,  successfully, 
improper,  diffidence,  moreover,  inference,  hydrostatics,  recollection, 
ameliorative,  authorities,  unwilling,  autocrat,  accelerate,  emolument, 
carnivorous,  emaciated. 


228 


SECT.  III.  — MARKS  OF   QUOTATION. 


MARKS  OF  QUOTATION  [  "  "  ]  are  employed  to 
show  that  the  words  of*  an  author  or  a  speaker  are 
quoted.  These  marks  consist  of  two  inverted  commas 
placed  at  the  beginning,  and  two  apostrophes  at  the 
end,  of  a  quotation. 

RULE    1. 

ffbrefo  borrowed  from  a  Speaker  or  an  A  uthor. 

A  word,  phrase,  or  passage,  belonging  to  another, 
and  introduced  into  one's  own  composition,  is  distin 
guished  by  marks  of  quotation. 

EXAMPLE. 

To  on«  who  said,  "  I  do  not  believe  there  is  an  honent  man  in  the  world," 
another  replied,  "  It  is  impossible  that  any  one  man  should  know  all  the 
world,  but  quite  possible  that  one  may  know  himself." 

K  E  M  A  K  K  8. 

a.  When  a  writer  repeats  his  own  language,  and  wishes  to  draw 
to  it  particular  attention,  he  properly  uses  the  same  marks  as  he 
would  employ  were  he  transcribing  the  sentiments  of  another.  Thus, 
if  the  author  of  the  present  work  wished  again  to  give  directions  on 
the  grammatical  points  usually  required  before  extracts,  he  might, 
instead  of  referring  merely  to  page  108,  copy  from  it  the  rule  and 
certain  comments,  prefixing  and  appending  the  marks  under  notice, 
as  follow :  "  A  short  quotation,  or  any  expression  that  resembles  a 
quotation,  is  separated  by  a  comma  from  the  clause  which  precedes 
It."  "  If,  however,  quotations  or  remarks  extend  to  two  or  more 


QUOTATIONS. 


229 


{sentences,  and  are  formally  or  specially  introduced,  a  colon  is 
preferable."  "  When  an  indirect  quotation  or  a  remark  is  preceded 
by  a  very  brief  clause,  the  comma  is  not  required." 

b.  Marks  of  quotation  may  be  omitted  where  the  matter  taken  ia 
not  g:ven  in  the  exact  words  of  the  author;  as, — 

Socrates  said  that  he  believed  in  the  immortality  of  the  soul. 

In  the  direct  form,  the  sentence  would  be  correctly  written  thus:  — 

Socrates  said,  "  I  believe  that  the  soul  is  immortal." 

c.  It  is  usual  to  omit  the  quotation-marks  when  a  mere  phrase 
or  saying  from  a  foreign  language  is  distinguished  by  Italics;  as, — 

JfU  mortalibua  arduum  est  is  a  bold  but  encouraging  assertion. 

d.  In  old  works,  it  was  a  common  practice  to  introduce  all  ex 
tracts  from  Scripture  in  Italic  characters;  but,  except  when  there 
is  a  necessity  for  calling  particular  attention  to  certain  words  or 
expressions,  authors  now  generally  and  very  properly  prefer  using 
marks  of  quotation ;  as,  — 

One  of  the  evangelists  says,  "Jesus  wept." 

e.  Titles  of  books,  and  names  of  ships,  &c.,  are  sometimes  writ 
ten  without  the  inverted  commas,  and  put  in  Italic  characters ;  as, 
"  Falconer,  the  author  of  The  Shipwreck,  embarked  on  board  the 
Aurora  frigate  in  the  year  1769,  and  was  supposed  to  have  perished 
with  the  vessel  at  sea."     But,  as  Italics  give  an  irregular  look  to  a 
crinted  page,  quotation-marks  are  preferable ;  as,  — 

We  may  justly  regard  "  Paradise  Lost  "  as  one  of  the  noblest  monuments 
nf  human  genius. 

/.  In  speaking  of  certain  words  or  phrases,  some  authors  put 
them  in  Italics.  Others,  however,  prefer  placing  them  within  marks 
of  quotation;  and,  for  the  reason  given  in  Remark  e,  this  is  the 
more  eligible  mode  of  exhibiting  them ;  as,  — 

We  find  the  word  "  pharisaical  "  very  useful  in  our  modern  speech. 

g.  When  an  example  or  an  extract,  particularly  if  in  verse,  is 
begun  in  a  new  line,  and  set  in  a  smaller  type,  the  marks  of  quota 
tion  are  by  some  writers  dispensed  with.  In  cases,  however,  of  this 
kind,  perhaps  the  generality  of  authors  and  printers  use  the  inverted 
commas  and  the  apostrophes,  agreeably  to  the  rule ;  and  this  usage 
is  recommended,  except  in  works  containing  numerous  quotations, 
which  are  well  known  to  be  such,  as  in  the  present  book. 


230  MARKS    OF    QUOTATION. 

RULE     II. 

One  Quotation  within  another. 

WLen  one  quotation  is  introduced  within  another, 
the  included  one  should  be  preceded  by  a  single  in 
verted  comma,  and  closed  by  a  single  apostrophe. 

EXAMPLES. 

1.  When  treating  of  Christian  orators,  Maury  asks  the  following  apposite 
questions:  "What  is  this  you  call  eloquence?    Is  it  the  wretched  trade  of 
imitating  that  criminal,  mentioned  by  a  poet  in  his  satires,  who  '  balanced  his 
crimes  before  his  judges  with  antithesis  '?     Is  it  the  puerile  secret  of  forming 
jejune  quibbles;   of  rounding  periods;   of  tormenting  one's  self  by  tedious 
studies,  in  order  to  reduce  sacred  instruction  into  a  vain  amusement?  " 

2.  In  describing  the  vast  influence  of  a  perfect  orator  over  the  feelings 
and  passions  of  his  audience,  Sheridan  forcibly  says,  "  Notwithstanding  the 
diversity  of  minds  in  such  a  multitude,  by  the  lightning  of  eloquence  they 
are  melted  into  one  mass;  the  whole  assembly,  actuated  in  one  and  the  same 
way,  become,  as  it  were,  but  one  man,  and  have  but  one  voice.    The  universal 
cry  is,  'Let  us  march  against  Philip;  let  us  fight  for  our  liberties;  let  us 
conquer  or  die! '  " 

REMARKS. 

a.  Double  marks  should  be  used  before  and  after  a  quotation 
inserted  in  that  which  has  been  introduced   into  an  extract;   as, 
"  Channing,  the  friend  of  humanity  in  everv  condition  and  under 
every  garb,  says,  4  When  I  consider  the  greater  simplicity  of  their 
lives,  and  their  greater  openness  to  the  spirit  of  Christianity,  I  am 
not  sure  but  that  the  "  golden  age  "  of  manners  is  to  begin  among 
those  who  are  now  despaired  of  for  their  want  of  refinement.'  " 

b.  Some  writers  and  printers  observe  the  following  direction,  in 
preference  to  the  rule  given  in  the  text:   That  a  single  inverted 
comma  should  be  prefixed  to  a  single  quotation  occurring  in  com 
position,   and    a  single   apostrophe   annexed    to   it;    but  that  two 
inverted  commas  should  be  introduced  before,  and  two  apostrophes 
after,  another  quotation   occurring  within  the   primary  one;   as, 
4  There  are  times  when  the  spirit,  oppressed  with  pain,  worn  with 
toil,  tired  of  tumult,  sick  at  the  sight  of  guilt,  wounded  in  its  love, 
baffled  in  its  hope,  and  trembling  in  its  faith,  almost  longs  for  the 
"  wings  of  a  dove,  that  it  might  fly  away,"  and  take  refuge  amidst 


ONE    QUOTATION    WITHIN    ANOTHER.  231 

the  "shady  bowers,"  the  "vernal  airs,"  the  "roses  without  thorns," 
the  quiet,  the  beauty,  the  loveliness,  of  Eden.'  But  the  great  objec 
tion  to  this  mode  of  setting  off  extracts  is,  that,  by  using  single 
marks  to  the  quotations  which  are  of  primary  importance,  and 
double  to  those  which  are  merely  secondary,  we  exhibit  the  former 
less  prominently  than  the  latter. 

c.  The  marks  under  consideration  may  with  propriety  be  omitted 
in  some  instances,  where  several  quotations  are  so  much  involved 
one  within  another,  that  the  insertion  of  all  the  inverted  commas  and 
the  apostrophes  would  teiid  to  obscure  the  meaning  of  the  entire 
passage;  as, — 

In  the  New  Testament  we  have  the  following  words :  "  Jesus  answered  the 
Jews,  '  Is  it  not  written  in  your  law,  —  I  said,  Ye  are  gods  ?  '  " 

By  considering  the  example  itself  as  an  extract,  there  will  be  found 
here  no  fewer  than  five  quotations ;  and  yet,  though  two  only  are  set 
off  with  quotation-marks,  the  passage  is  perhaps  more  intelligible,  and 
to  the  eye  certainly  less  offensive,  than  if  printed  thus:  "  In  the  New 
Testament  we  have  the  following  words:  'Jesus  answered  the  Jews, 
44  Is  it  not  written  in  your  law,  —  4I  said,  "  Ye  are  gods"'?" 
Ridiculous  as  it  may  appear,  this  mode  of  exhibiting  quotations  is 
only  the  application  of  the  principle  contained  in  the  rule,  but  car 
ried  out  beyond  its  legitimate  purpose  and  extent. 

d.  Indeed,  in  quoting  from  such  texts  of  Scripture  as  contain 
citations  from  other  books  of  the  sacred  canon,  it  is  usual  to  present 
them  as  they  appear  in  the  Common  Version,  —  without  any  quota 
tion-marks  in  the  body  of  the  passage ;  as,  — 

St.  Paul  thus  expresses  himself:  "  Therein  is  the  righteousness  of  God 
revealed  from  faith  to  faith ;  as  it  is  written,  The  just  shall  live  by  faith. 
For  the  wrath  of  God  is  revealed  from  heaven  against  all  ungodliness,  and 
unrighteousness  of  men,  who  hold  the  truth  in  unrighteousness."  In  another 
place  the  apostle  says,  "  David  also  describeth  the  blessedness  of  the  man 
unto  whom  God  imputeth  righteousness  without  works,  saying,  Blessed  are 
they  whose  iniquities  are  forgiven,  and  whose  sins  are  covered.  Blessed  ia 
the  man  to  whom  the  Lord  will  not  impute  sin.  Cometh  this  blessedness, 
then,  upon  the  circumcision  only?  "  &c. 

But  the  exhibiting  of  a  quotation  within  a  quotation  without  the 
Inverted  commas,  though  more  pleasing  to  the  eye,  is  less  accurate, 
than  it  would  be  if  they  were  used  in  a  single  form,  as  in  the  passage 
above,  lines  six  and  seven  of  Remark  c. 

e.  See  page  156,  Remark  f;  and  page  161,  Remark  e. 


232  MARKS    OF    QUOTATION. 

RULE     III. 
Extracts  composed  of  Successive  Paragraphs. 

When  an  extract  is  composed  of  successive  para 
graphs,  each  is  commenced  with  inverted  commas ;  but 
the  apostrophes  are  not  used  till  the  quotation  finally 
terminates. 

EXAMPLE. 

To  exemplify  this  rule,  a  passage,  consisting  of  more  than  one  paragraph, 
may  be  taken  from  an  essay  by  Godwin :  — 

"  No  subject  is  of  more  importance,  in  the  morality  of  private  life,  than 
that  of  domestic  or  family  life. 

"  Every  man  has  his  ill  humors,  his  fits  of  peevishness  and  exacerbation. 
Is  it  better  that  he  should  spend  these  upon  his  fellow-beings,  or  suffer  them 
to  subside  of  themselves? 

"  It  seems  to  be  one  of  the  most  important  of  the  arts  of  life,  that  men 
should  not  come  too  near  each  other,  or  touch  in  too  many  points.  Excessive 
familiarity  is  the  bane  of  social  happiness." 

REMARKS. 

a.  When  phrases  or  sentences  in  an  extract  consist  of  portions 
not  connected  in  the  discourse  or  book  from  which  they  have  been 
taken,  each  portion  should  begin  and  end  with  the  quotation-marks, 
as  in  those  cited  on  p.  228,  Remark  a ;  unless  several  points  (....) 
are  inserted  to  indicate  the  omission,  in  which  case  it  will  be  suf 
ficient  to  put  the  marks  of  quotation  at  the  beginning  and  the  end 
of  the  whole  extract,  if  it  is  contained  in  one  paragraph. 

b.  In  the  leading  articles  of  newspapers,  and  sometimes  in  books, 
when  particular  attention  would  be  drawn  to  an  extract  embodied 
in  the  text,  the  inverted  commas  are  placed  at  the  beginning  of  each 
line  of  the  quotation ;  as,     Slavery  must  fall,  because  it  stands  in 
"  direct  hostility  to  all  the  grand  movements,  principles,  and  reforms 
"  of  our  age ;  because  it  stands  in  the  way  of  an  advancing  world. 
"  One  great  idea  stands  out  amidst  the  discoveries  and  improvements 
"  of  modern  times.    It  is,  that  man  is  not  to  exercise  arbitrary, 
"  irresponsible  power  over  man."     But,  except  in  the  more  transient 
class  of  publications,  this  mode  of  exhibiting  extracts  is  now  seldom 
used. 


QUOTATIONS.  233 


ORAL   EXERCISE. 

Khow  how  the  Rules  and  the  Remarks  (pp.  228-30)  apply  to  the  use  or  omission 
of  quotation-marks  in  the  following  sentences  t  — 

The  psalmist  says  again,  "  I  am  a  stranger  with  thee  and  a  so- 
journer,  as  all  my  fathers  were." 

When  Fenelon's  library  was  on  fire,  "  God  be  praised,"  said  he, 
"  that  it  is  not  the  dwelling  of  a  poor  man ! " 

I  repeat  what  I  said  on  a  former  occasion,  that  "  no  man  can  bo 
happ?  who  is  destitute  of  good  feelings  and  generous  principles." 

"  There  is  but  one  object,"  says  St.  Augustine,  "  greater  than  the 
soul ;  and  that  one  is  its  Creator." 

Plato,  hearing  that  some  asserted  he  was  a  very  bad  man,  said, 
"  I  shall  take  care  so  to  live  that  nobody  will  believe  them." 

"  Let  me  make  the  ballads  of  a  nation,"  said  Fletcher  of  Saltoun. 
"  and  I  care  not  who  makes  its  laws." 

"  Any  man,"  it  has  been  well  said,  "  who  has  a  proneness  to  see 
a  beauty  and  fitness  in  all  God's  works,  may  find  daily  food  for  his 
mind  even  in  an  infant." 

A  minister  of  some  experience  remarks,  "  I  have  heard  more  than 
one  sufferer  say, '  I  am  thankful ;  God  is  good  to  me ; '  and,  when 
I  heard  that,  I  said,  *  It  is  good  to  be  afflicted.'  " 

The  celebrated  and  ingenious  Bishop  of  Cloyne,  in  his  "  Principles 
of  Human  Knowledge,"  denies,  without  any  ceremony,  the  exist 
ence  of  every  kind  of  matter  whatever. 

After  Cicero,  the  literary  history  of  the  Romans  is  written  in  one 
line  of  Tacitus,  Gliscente  adulatione,  magna  ingenia  deterrebantur  ; 
u  As  adulation  increased,  great  minds  were  deterred." 

A  being  crowned  with  all  the  blessings  which  men  covet  and 
admire,  —  with  youth,  health,  beauty,  rank,  genius,  and  fame,  — 
writes  four  cantos  of  melodious  verse  to  prove  that  he  is  the  most 
miserable  of  mortals. 

Trench  well  says,  "  What  a  lesson  the  word  '  diligence '  contains  J 
How  profitable  is  it  for  every  one  of  us  to  be  reminded,  —  as  we  are 
reminded  when  we  make  ourselves  aware  of  its  derivation  from  diligo, 
1  to  love,'  —  that  the  only  secret  of  true  industry  in  our  work  is  lovo 
of  that  work!" 

To  the  man  who  walks  among  the  flowers  which  he  has  tended,— 

"  Each  odoriferous  leaf, 

Each  opening  blossom,  freely  breathes  abroad 
Its  gratitude,  and  thanks  him  with  its  sweets." 


234  MARKS    OF    QUOTATION. 


EXERCISE   TO    BE   WRITTEN. 

Insert  the  marks  of  quotation  agreeably  to  some  of  the  directions  given  in 
pp.  228-32. 

Johnson's  Lives  of  the  English  Poets  tnny  justly  be  considered 
as  the  noblest  specimen  of  elegant  and  M>lm  criticism  which  any 
age  has  produced.  (Rule  I.  and  Remark  e.) 

Terrific  examples  of  license  and  anarchy  in  Greece  and  Rome 
are  quoted  to  prove,  that  man  requires  to  be  protected  from  himself; 
forgetting  the  profound  wisdom  wrapped  up  in  the  familiar  inquiry, 
Quis  custodiet  ip&os  custodes?  Who  shall  guard  the  keepers?  (Rule  I. 
and  Remark  c.) 

An  eloquent  preacher  asks,  Who  would  not  far  prefer  our  wintry 
storm,  and  the  hoarse  sighings  of  the  east  wind,  as  it  sweeps  around 
us,  if  they  will  brace  the  mind  to  nobler  attainments,  and  the  heart 
to  better  duties?  [The  author  of  this  passage  quotes  the  phrase, 
"  the  hoarse  sighings  of  the  east  wind."]  (Rule  II.) 

What  is  the  soul  ?  was  a  question  once  put  to  Marivaux.  —  I  know 
nothing  of  it,  he  answered,  but  that  it  is  spiritual  and  immortal.  — 
Well,  said  his  friend,  let  us  ask  Fontenelle,  and  he  will  tell  us  what 
it  is.  —  No,  cried  Marivaux:  ask  anybody  but  Fontenelle;  for  he 
has  too  much  good  sense  to  know  any  more  about  it  than  we  do. 
(Rule  I.) 

D' Alembert  congratulated  a  young  man  very  coldly,  who  brought 
him  the  solution  of  a  problem.  I  have  done  this  to  have  a  seat  in 
the  Academy,  said  the  young  man.  —  Sir,  answered  D'Alembert, 
with  such  motives  you  will  never  earn  one.  Science  must  be  loved 
for  its  own  sake,  and  not  for  the  advantage  to  be  derived.  No  other 
principle  will  enable  a  man  to  make  true  progress.  (Rule  I.) 


The  following  sarcastic  rules  for  behavior  are  said  by  Goldsmith 
to  have  been  drawn  up  by  an  indigent  philosopher:  — 

1.  If  you  be  a  rich  man,  you  may  enter  the  room  with  three 
loud  hems,  march  deliberately  up  to  the  chimney,  and  turn  your 
back  to  the  fire. 

2.  If  you  be  a  poor  man,  I  would  advise  you  to  shrink  into  the 
room  as  fast  as  you  can,  and  place  yourself,  as  usual,  upon  a  corner 
of  a  chair,  in  a  remote  corner. 

3.  If  you  be  young,  and  live  with  an  old  man,  I  would  adviso 
you  not  to  like  gravy.    I  was  disinherited  myself  for  liking  gravy. 
(Bule  HI.) 


235 


CHAPTER   V. 

MISCELLANEOUS  MARKS  AND  CHARACTERS. 


IN  addition  to  the  sentential  points  and  marks  treated 
of  in  the  preceding  pages,  there  are  other  characters, 
sometimes  occurring  in  English  composition,  which 
will  now  be  explained. 


I.  BRACKETS,  or  CROTCHETS  [  ],  are  employed  for 
the  same  purpose  nearly  as  the  marks  of  parenthesis ; 
but  they  are  usually  confined  to  words,  phrases,  or 
sentences,  inserted  in  or  appended  to  a  quotation,  and 
not  belonging  to  it ;  as,  "  The  captain  had  several  men 
died  [who  died]  in  the  ship." 

Brackets  are  chiefly  intended  to  give  an  explanation,  to  rectify  a 
mistake,  or  to  supply  an  omission.  But  they  are  also  sometimes 
used  in  dictionaries  and  in  poetry  to  separate  such  words  as  are 
put,  for  the  saving  of  room,  into  lines  to  which  they  do  not  belong; 
and  in  psalms  and  hymns  to  include  verses  that  may  be  omitted  by 
a  congregation.  They  are  used,  besides,  in  a  single  form,  in  printed 
dramas,  to  note  the  entrance  or  the  departure  of  certain  characters ; 
as,  "  [Exeunt  Portia  and  Nerissa." 

Marks  of  parenthesis  and  the  brackets  are  often  employed  indis 
criminately  ;  but  the  following  rule,  from  Parker's  "  Exercises  in 
Rhetorical  Reading,"  will  aid  the  pupil  in  distinguishing  the  differ 
ence  as  to  their  application:  "  Crotchets  [the  writer  means  marks  of 
parenthesis  J  are  used  to  enclose  a  sentence,  or  part  of  a  sentence, 


236  MISCELLANEOUS    MARKS. 

which  is  inserted  between  the  parts  of  another  sentence :  brackets 
are  generally  used  to  separate  two  subjects,  or  to  enclose  an  expla 
nation,  note,  or  observation,  standing  by  itself." 

The  grammatical  punctuation  of  the  words  or  sentences  enclosed 
by  brackets,  and  of  the  context,  when  they  require  such  pointing, 
should  be  the  same  as  that  adopted  in  respect  to  the  parenthesis,  and 
to  the  clauses  between  which  it  is  inserted.  —  See  pp.  168-70. 

Dashes  are  sometimes  used,  one  before  the  first  bracket,  and 
another  after  the  second,  to  lead  the  eye  from  the  preceding  portion 
of  the  main  sentence  to  the  latter.  They  may  with  propriety  be 
introduced  in  such  passages  as  the  following:  "I  know  the  banker 
I  deal  with,  or  the  physician  I  usually  call  in,  —  ['  There  is  no  need,' 
cried  Dr.  Slop  (waking),  'to  call  in  any  physician  in  this  case.']  — 
to  be  neither  of  them  men  of  much  religion." 


II.  A  COMMA  INVERTED  [  '  ]  is  sometimes  used 
instead  of  a  very  small  c,  in  many  proper  names 
beginning  with  Mac;  as,  McDonald,  the  abbreviation 
of  Macdonald. 

This  mark  seems  to  be  getting  out  of  use ;  authors  and  printers 
now  generally  preferring  the  c,  either  on  or  above  the  line,  as  in 
McKenzie,  McFarlane. 

The  same  mark  is  sometimes  annexed  to  the  letter  0  in  proper 
names;  as,  O'Neil:  but  an  apostrophe  is  more  frequently  used,  and 
is  more  correct;  as,  O'NeiL 


III.  Two  COMMAS  [  „  ]  are  occasionally  employed 
to  indicate  that  something  is  understood  which  was  ex 
pressed  in  the  line  and  word  immediately  above  ;  as,  — • 

John  Jones,  Esq Plymouth. 

John  Smith,  Esq „ 

By  many  printers  the  commas  are  inverted  [thus,  "  ] ;  but  the 
mode  of  using  them  here  presented,  which  was  once  very  common, 
is  a  more  exact  imitation  of  handwriting. 

Names  of  different  persons,  though  spelled  in  the  same  way,  —  as 
the  word  "  John  "  in  the  preceding  lines,  —  are  commonly  repeated. 


THE    INDEX,    BRACE,    ETC.  237 

IV.  The  INDEX,  or  HAND,  points  out  a  passage  to 
which  special  attention  is  directed ;  as,  "  <g§^"  All  orders 
will  be  promptly  and  carefully  attended  to." 

V.  THREE   STARS,  placed  in  this  form   [%*],  or 
N.B.,  the  initials  of  nota  bene,  "  mark  well,"  are  some 
times  used  for  the  same  purposes  as  the  index. 

The  characters  explained  in  the  two  preceding  paragraphs  are 
employed  chiefly  in  cards,  handbills,  advertisements,  and  catalogues ; 
seldom  in  books. 

VI.  The  CARET  [  A  ]  is  used,  only  in  manuscript, 
to  show  where  a   letter  or  a  word  was  accidentally 
omitted,  but  which  has  afterwards  been  placed  over 
the  line  ;  as,  — 

p  are 

Disapointments  and  trials  often  blessings  in  disguise. 


VII.   The  BRACE   [  ^Y^  ]    is  used    to  connect   a 
number  of  words  with  one  common  term ;  as,  — 


3  barleycorns  )  ( 1  inch 

12  inches .  ...  |  are  equal  to  <  1  foot 


long  measure. 


Sfeet )  (lyard 

This  character  is  often  found  serviceable  in  lists  of  articles  and 
in  tabular  matter,  where  the  object  is  to  save  room,  or  to  avoid 
repetition.  The  inside  of  a  brace  should,  as  in  the  example,  bo 
turned  to  that  part  of  the  matter  which  contains  most  lines. 

The  brace  was  once  generally  used  to  bind  together  a  triplet,  or 
three  lines  of  poetry  having  the  same  rhyme ;  but  this  practice  is 
becoming  obsolete. 

A  brace  is  sometimes  put  in  the  side-margin  of  a  page  to  separate 
dates,  when  placed  there,  from  the  text. 


238  MISCELLANEOUS    MARKS. 

VIII.  MARKS  OF  ELLIPSIS  are  formed  by  means 
of  a  long  dash,  or  of  a  succession  of  points  or  stars 

[ ,  ....,****],  of  various  lengths  ;  and  are 

used  to  indicate  the  omission  of  letters  in  a  word,  of 
words  in  a  sentence,  or  of  sentences  in  a  paragraph  ; 
as,  — 

1.  C 8  is  not  uniformly  distinguished  for  dignity,  wisdom,  patriotism 

or  philanthropy. 

2.  If  the  great  have  no  other  glory  than  that  of  their  ancestors  ;  if  their 
titles  are  their  only  virtues,  ....  their  birth  dishonors  them,  even  in  the 
estimation  of  the  world. 

3.  Some  persons  believe  that  there  are  no  longer  any  duties  to  be  fulQlled 
beyond  the  tomb ;  and  there  are  but  few  who  know  how  to  be  friends  to  the 
dead.     ********     f^e  name  of  Our  friends,  their  glory,  their 
family,  have  still  claims  on  our  affection,  which  it  would  be  guilt  not  to  feel. 
They  should  live  still  in  our  heart  by  the  emotions  which  subsist  there  ;  in 
our  memory,  by  our  frequent  remembrance  of  them ;  in  our  voice,  by  our 
eulogiums  ;  in  our  conduct,  by  our  imitation  of  their  virtues. 

In  the  first  example,  "  C s  "  is  substituted  for  Congress;  in 

the  second,  a  single  clause  is  omitted;  and,  in  the  third,  several 
sentences  are  left  out  by  the  transcriber.  Periods  are  considered 
much  less  offensive  to  the  eye  than  asterisks. 

To  avoid  repetitions  in  catalogues,  a  dash  is  sometimes  used 
instead  of  the  word  or  words  immediately  above ;  as,  — 

Pope's  Works,  with  Notes  and  Illustrations,  6  vols.  calf. 
Rape  of  the  Lock,  and  other  Poems. 

For  other  elliptical  uses  of  the  dash,  see  pp.  175,  191,  and  195. 


IX.  LEADERS  are  dots  or  periods,  used  in  contents 
and  indexes  of  books,  and  in  similar  matter,  to  lead 
the  eye  to  the  end  of  a  line,  for  the  completion  of  the 
sense;  as, — 

Pag.. 

Comma 27 

Semicolon 113 

Colon 129 

Pflriod 142 


ACCENTS    AND    OTHER    MARKS.  239 

X.  ACCENTS.  —  There  are  three  marks,  termed 
Accents,  placed  over  the  vowels  ;  namely,  the  Acute 
[  '  ],  as  in  fancy  ;  the  Grave  [  v  ],  as  in  favor ;  and 
the  Circumflex  [  *  ],  as  in  fall  The  acute  accent 
commonly  represents  a  sharp,  the  grave  a  depressed, 
and  the  circumflex  a  broad  sound. 

The  grave  accent  is  sometimes  placed  in  verse  over  the  vowel  e, 
to  show  that  it  must  be  fully  pronounced ;  as,  canker&d,  Dirce. 
See  p.  199,  Remark  g. 

These  characters  are  also  used  to  denote  the  inflections  of  the 
voice,  according  to  the  system  invented  by  Walker ;  and  for  various 
purposes  in  the  Latin,  French,  and  other  languages. 


XI.  MARKS  OF  QUANTITY.  —  There  are  other 
three  marks,  indicating  the  pronunciation,  which  are 
sometimes  classed  among  the  accents ;  namely,  the 
Long  [  "  ],  as  in  rosy ;  the  Breve,  or  Short  [  "  ],  as 
in  foUy  ;  and  the  Diasresis  j[  J,  as  in  aerial. 

The  diaeresis  is  usually  placed  over  the  latter  of  two  vowels,  and 
denotes  that  they  are  to  be  pronounced  separately. 


XII.  The  CEDILLA  is  a  mark  resembling  a  comma, 
placed  under  the  letter  p,  when  it  has  the  sound  of 
s  before  a  or  o,  in  words  taken  from  the  French ;  as, 
facade. 

XIII.  THE  TILDE  [  *  ]  is  an  accentual  mark,  placed 
over  n  in  Spanish  to  give  that  letter  a  liquid  sound ;  as, 
senor,  sir. 

If  great  accuracy  is  required,  all  such  words  should  be  thus  printed 
when  occurring  in  English  composition. 


240  MISCELLANEOUS    MARKS. 

XIV.  MARKS  OF  REFERENCE.  —  The  Asterisk,  or 
Star  [  *  ],  the  Obelisk,  or  Dagger  [  f  ],  the  Double 
Dagger  [  J  ],  the  Section  [  §  ],  Parallel  Lines  [  ||  ], 
and  the  Paragraph  [  H"  ],  are  used,  in  the  order  here 
presented,  when  references  are  made  to  observations 
or  notes  in  the  margin. 

When  references  are  numerous,  the  above  marks,  when  they  have 
been  all  used  in  one  and  the  same  page,  and  others  are  required, 
should  be  doubled  or  trebled;  as,  **,  ftt- 

But,  for  purposes  of  reference,  many  authors  prefer  lowercase 
Italic  letters  or  Arabic  figures,  enclosed  by  marks  of  parenthesis 
(o)or(l):  some  usiug  the  letters  throughout  the  alphabet,  or  the 
figures  as  far  as  10  or  100  inclusive,  then  beginning  again  with  (a)  or 
(1);  and  others  commencing  each  page  with  the  first  letter  or  figure. 

As,  however,  all  the  above  marks  have  a  rather  clumsy  appear 
ance,  particularly  when  they  often  occur  in  the  same  page,  it  has, 
in  more  recent  times,  been  regarded  as  an  improvement  to  use,  in 
their  order,  letters  or  figures  of  a  smaller  size,  technically  called, 
from  their  standing  above  the  line,  Superiors ;  as,  °  or  '.  If  the  notes 
are  placed  in  the  margin,  it  is  recommended  that  the  letter  a  or 
figure  *  be  the  first  reference  of  every  page  in  which  notes  occur;  but 
that  figures,  and  not  letters,  be  employed  in  regular  succession,  as  far 
as  required,  if  the  notes  are  introduced  at  the  end  of  the  volume. 

The  ASTERISK  is  used  in  some  dictionaries  to  note,  either  that  a 
word  is  of  Greek  origin,  or  is  distinguished  by  some  other  pecu 
liarity;  and  the  OBELISK,  that  a  word  or  phrase  is  barbarous  or 
obsolete.  In  Roman-Catholic  church-books,  the  asterisk  is  used  to 
divide  each  verse  of  a  psalm  into  two  parts,  showing  where  the 
responses  begin.  The  obelisk  is  inserted,  instead  of  the  proper 
square  cross,  in  those  places  of  the  printed  prayers  and  benedictions 
where  the  priest  is  to  make  the  sign  of  the  cross.  It  is  also  used  in 
the  briefs  of  the  pope,  and  in  the  mandates  of  archbishops  and 
bishops,  who  put  this  symbol  immediately  before  the  signature  of 
their  names. 

The  mark  termed  the  SECTION  [  §  ]  is  sometimes  employed,  as  in 
Locke's  "  Essay  on  the  Human  Understanding,"  to  divide  books  or 
chapters  into  smaller  portions ;  and  that  called  the  PARAGRAPH  [  Tf  j 
occurs  frequently  in  the  authorized  version  of  the  Bible. 


241 


CHAPTER  VI. 

GENERAL     EXERCISES, 

PUNCTUATED  ACCORDING   TO  THE  PRINCIPLES  LAID  DOWN   IN  TUB 
PRESENT   WORK. 


THE  following  Exercises  are  presented  in  the  hope, 
that  they  will  be  not  only  perused  as  a  source  of  plea 
sure  and  general  improvement,  but  also  studied  with 
relation  to  the  art  which  they  are  meant  to  exemplify. 
This  can  be  done  in  one  of  two  ways :  The  reader 
may,  in  passing  from  one  sentence  to  another,  assign, 
either  mentally  or  to  a  teacher,  the  reasons  for  the 
punctuation  adopted,  by  referring  to  the  rules  or 
the  remarks  which  are  laid  down  in  the  preceding 
pages  as  applicable  to  each  separate  case.  Or  he  may 
write  out  the  exercises,  one  at  a  time,  without  any 
points  whatever ;  and,  in  the  course  of  a  day  or  two, 
take  his  transcribed  copy,  and,  without  aid  from  the 
book,  insert  such  marks  as  he  thinks  will  best  exhibit 
the  grammatical  structure  of  the  composition,  the  con 
nections  or  relations  subsisting  between  the  various 
parts  of  its  sentences,  and  the  sense  which  the  author 
intended  to  express.  He  may  then  compare  his  manu 
script  with  the  print,  in  order  to  ascertain  in  what 
respects  they  correspond  or  differ ;  introducing  the 
16 


242  GENERAL    EXERCISES. 

points  which  he  has  omitted,  or  rectifying  the  errors  he 
has  made.  If  the  defects  or  mistakes  are  numerous, 
he  should  carefully  transcribe  the  exercise  a  second 
time. 

The  Index,  at  the  end  of  the  book,  will  enable  the 
pupil,  when  his  memory  fails  him,  to  discover  any 
particular  rule  or  remark  to  which  he  may  have  occa 
sion  to  refer. 


I.  — PRIDE   AND   HUMILITY. 

Pride  and  humility  are  always  relative  terms.  They  imply  a 
comparison  of  some  sort  with  an  object  higher  or  lower;  and  the 
same  mind,  with  actual  excellence  exactly  the  same,  and  with 
the  same  comparative  attainments  in  every  one  around,  may  thus 
be  either  proud  or  humble,  as  it  looks  above  or  looks  beneath.  In 
the  great  scale  of  society,  there  is  a  continued  rise  from  one  excel 
lence  to  another  excellence,  internal  or  external,  intellectual  or 
moral.  Wherever  we  may  fix,  there  is  still  some  one  whom  we 
may  find  superior  or  inferior;  and  these  relations  are  mutually 
convertible  as  we  ascend  or  descend.  The  shrub  is  taller  than  the 
flower  which  grows  in  its  shade ;  the  tree,  than  the  shrub ;  the  rock, 
than  the  tree ;  the  mountain,  than  the  single  rock ;  and  above  all  are 
the  sun  and  the  heavens.  It  is  the  same  in  the  world  of  life.  From 
that  Almighty  Being  who  is  the  Source  of  all  life,  to  the  lowest  of 
his  creatures,  what  innumerable  gradations  may  be  traced,  even  in 
the  ranks  of  excellence  on  our  own  earth !  each  being  higher  than 
that  beneath,  and  lower  than  that  above;  and  thus,  all  to  all,  objects 
at  once  of  pride  or  humility,  according  as  the  comparison  may  be 
made  with  the  greater  or  with  the  less. 

Of  two  minds,  then,  possessing  equal  excellence,  which  is  the 
more  noble,  —  that  which,  however  high  the  excellence  attained  by 
it,  has  still  some  nobler  excellence  in  view,  to  which  it  feels  its  own 
inferiority;  or  that  which,  having  risen  a  few  steps  in  the  ascent  of 
intellectual  and  moral  glory,  thinks  only  of  those  beneath,  and 
rejoices  in  an  excellence  which  would  appear  to  it  of  little  value  if 


PUNCTUATION    EXEMPLIFIED.  243 

only  it  lifted  a  single  glance  to  the  perfection  above?  Yet  this 
habitual  tendency  to  jook  beneath,  rather  than  above,  is  the  charactei 
of  mind  which  is  denominated  "pride;"  while  the  tendency  to  look 
above,  rather  than  below,  and  to  feel  an  inferiority,  therefore,  which 
others  perhaps  do  not  perceive,  is  the  character  which  is  denomi 
nated  "  humility."  Is  it  false,  then,  or  even  extravagant,  to  say  that 
humility  is  truly  the  nobler;  and  that  pride,  which  delights  in  the 
contemplation  of  abject  objects  beneath,  is  truly  in  itself  more 
abject  than  that  meekness  of  heart  which  is  humble  because  it  has 
greater  objects,  and  which  looks  with  reverence  to  the  excellence 
that  is  above  it,  because  it  is  formed  with  a  capacity  of  feeling  all 
the  worth  of  that  excellence  which  it  reveres?  .  .  . 

The  accomplished  philosopher  and  man  of  letters,  to  whom  the 
great  names  of  all  who  have  been  eminent  in  ancient  and  modern 
times,  in  all  the  nations  in  which  the  race  of  man  has  risen  to  glory, 
are  familiar,  almost  like  the  names  of  those  with  whom  he  is  living 
in  society,  —  who  has  thus  constantly  before  his  mind  images  of 
excellence  of  the  highest  order,  and  who,  even  in  the  hopes  which 
he  dares  to  form,  feels  how  small  a  contribution  it  will  be  in  his 
power  to  add  to  the  great  imperishable  stock  of  human  wisdom,  — 
may  be  proud  indeed ;  but  his  pride  will  be  of  a  sort  that  is  tem 
pered  with  humility,  and  will  be  humility  itself  if  compared  with 
the  pride  of  a  pedant  or  sciolist,  who  thinks,  that,  in  adding  the 
result  of  some  little  discovery  which  he  may  have  fortunately  made, 
he  is  almost  doubling  that  mass  of  knowledge  in  which  it  is  scarcely 
perceived  as  an  element. 

Pride,  then,  as  a  character  of  self-complacent  exultation,  is  not 
the  prevailing  cast  of  mind  of  those  who  are  formed  for  genuine 
excellence.  He  who  is  formed  for  genuine  excellence  has  before 
him  an  ideal  perfection,  —  that  semper  melius  aliquid,  —  which  makes 
excellence  itself,  however  admirable  to  those  who  measure  it  only 
with  their  weaker  powers,  seem  to  his  own  mind,  as  compared  with 
what  he  has  ever  in  his  own  mental  vision,  a  sort  of  failure.  He 
thinks  less  of  what  he  has  done  than  of  what  it  seems  possible  to 
do;  and  he  is  not  so  much  proud  of  merit  attained,  as  desirous  of  a 
merit  that  has  not  yet  been  attained  by  him. 

It  is  in  this  way  that  the  very  religion  which  ennobles  man  leads 
him,  not  to  pride,  but  to  humility.  It  elevates  him  from  the  smoke 
and  dust  of  earth;  but  it  elevates  him  above  the  darkness,  that  he 
may  see  better  the  great  heights  that  are  above  him.  It  shows  him, 
not  the  mere  excellence  of  a  few  frail  creatures,  as  fallible  as  him 


244  GENERAL    EXERCISES. 

self,  but  excellence,  the  very  conception  of  which  is  the  highest 
effort  that  can  be  made  by  man:  exhibiting  thus  constantly  what  it 
will  be  the  only  honor  worthy  of  his  nature  to  imitate,  however 
faintly;  and  checking  his  momentary  pride,  at  every  step  of  his 
glorious  progress,  by  the  brightness  and  the  vastness  of  what  is  still 
before  him. 

May  I  not  add  to  these  remarks,  that  it  is  in  this  way  we  are  to 
account  for  that  humility  which  is  so  peculiarly  a  part  of  the  Chris 
tian  character,  as  contrasted  with  the  general  pride  which  other 
systems  either  recommend  or  allow?  The  Christian  religion  is, 
indeed,  as  has  oeen  often  sarcastically  said  by  those  who  revile  it, 
the  religion  of  the  humble  in  heart;  but  it  is  the  religion  of  the 
humble,  only  because  it  presents  to  our  contemplation  a  higher 
excellence  than  was  ever  before  exhibited  to  man.  The  proud  look 
down  upon  the  earth,  and  see  nothing  tnat  creeps  upon  its  surface 
more  noble  than  themselves:  the  humble  look  upward  to  their  God. 

THOMAS  BROWN. 


H.  —  ABOU  BEN  ADEEM. 

Abou  Ben  Adhem  (may  his  tribe  increase!) 

Awoke  one  night  from  a  deep  dream  of  peace, 

And  saw  within  the  moonlight  of  his  room, 

Making  it  rich  and  like  a  lily  in  bloom, 

An  angel  writing  in  a  book  of  gold. 

Exceeding  peace  had  made  Ben  Adhem  bold ; 

And  to  the  presence  in  the  room  he  said, 

"  What  writest  thou  ?  "    The  vision  raised  its  head, 

And,  with  a  look  made  of  all  sweet  accord, 

Answered,  "  The  names  of  those  who  love  the  Lord." 

"  And  is  mine  one?  "  asked  Abou.    "  Nay,  not  so," 

Replied  the  angel.     Abou  spoke  more  low, 

But  cheerly  still ;  and  said,  "  I  pray  thee,  then, 

Write  me  as  one  that  loves  his  fellow-men." 

The  angel  wrote,  and  vanished.    The  next  night 

It  came  again,  with  a  great  wakening  light, 

And  showed  the  names  whom  love  of  God  had  blest; 

And,  lo !  Ben  Adhem's  name  led  all  the  rest. 

LEIGH  HUNT. 


PUNCTUATION    EXEMPLIFIED.  245 


111.  —  PANEGYRIC   ON  ENGLAND. 

No  character  is  perfect  among  nations,  more  than  among  men; 
but  it  must  needs  be  conceded,  that,  of  all  the  states  of  Europe, 
England  has  been,  from  an  early  period,  the  most  favored  abode  of 
liberty;  the  only  part  of  Europe,  where,  for  any  length  of  time, 
constitutional  liberty  can  be  said  to  have  a  stable  existence.  We 
can  scarcely  contemplate  with  patience  the  idea,  that  we  might  have 
been  a  Spanish  colony,  a  Portuguese  colony,  or  a  Dutch  colony.  We 
can  scarcely  compare  with  coolness  the  inheritance  which  was  trans 
mitted  to  us  by  our  fathers,  with  that  which  we  must  have  received 
from  almost  any  other  country,  —  absolute  government,  military 
despotism,  and  the  "  holy  inquisition."  ....  What  hope  can  there  be 
for  the  colonies  of  nations  which  possess  themselves  no  spring  of 
improvement,  and  tolerate  none  in  the  regions  over  which  they  rule ; 
whose  administration  sets  no  bright  examples  of  parliamentary  inde 
pendence;  whose  languages  send  out  no  reviving  lessons  of  sound  and 
practical  science, ...  of  manly  literature,  of  sound  philosophy;  but 
repeat,  with  every  ship  that  crosses  the  Atlantic,  the  same  debasing 
voice  of  despotism,  bigotry,  and  antiquated  superstition? 

What  citizen  of  our  republic  is  not  grateful,  in  the  contrast  which 
our  history  presents  ?  Who  does  not  feel,  what  reflecting  American 
does  not  acknowledge,  the  incalculable  advantages  derived  to  this 
land  out  of  the  deep  fountains  of  civil,  intellectual,  and  moral  truth, 
from  which  we  have  drawn  in  England?  What  American  does  not 
feel  proud  that  his  fathers  were  the  countrymen  of  Bacon,  of  Newton, 
and  of  Locke?  Who  does  not  know,  that,  while  every  pulse  of  civil 
liberty  in  the  heart  of  the  British  empire  beat  warm  and  fall  in  the 
bosom  of  our  ancestors,  the  sobriety,  the  firmness,  and  the  dignity, 
•with  which  the  cause  of  free  principles  struggled  into  existence  here, 
constantly  found  encouragement  and  countenance  from  the  friends 
of  liberty  there?  Who  does  not  remember,  that,  when  the  Pilgrims 
went  over  the  sea,  the  prayers  of  the  faithful  British  confessors,  in 
all  the  quarters  of  their  dispersion,  went  over  with  them,  while  their 
aching  eyes  were  strained  till  the  star  of  hope  should  go  up  in  the 
western  skies?  And  who  will  ever  forget,  that,  in  that  eventful 
struggle  which  severed  these  youthful  republics  from  the  British 
crown,  there  was  not  heard,  throughout  our  continent  in  arms,  a 
voice  which  spoke  louder  for  the  rights  of  America,  than  that  of 
Burke  or  of  Chatham  within  the  walls  of  the  British  Parliament, 


246  GENERAL    EXERCISES. 

and  at  the  foot  of  the  British  throne?  No:  for  myself,  I  can  truly 
say,  that,  after  my  native  land,  I  feel  a  tenderness  and  a  reverence 
lor  that  of  my  fathers.  The  pride  1  take  in  my  own  country  makes 
me  respect  that  from  which  we  are  sprung.  In  touching  the  soil  of 
England,  I  seem  to  return,  like  a  descendant,  to  the  old  family  seat; 
to  come  back  to  the  abode  of  an  aged  and  venerable  parent.  I 
acknowledge  this  great  consanguinity  of  nations.  The  sound  of  my 
native  language,  beyond  the  sea,  is  a  music  to  my  ear,  beyond  the 
richest  strains  of  Tuscan  softness  or  Castilian  majesty.  I  am  not 
yet  in  a  land  of  strangers,  while  sui*rounded  by  the  manners,  the 
habits,  and  the  institutions  under  which  I  have  been  brought  up.  I 
wander  delighted  through  a  thousand  scenes,  which  the  historians 
and  the  poets  have  made  familiar  to  us,  of  which  the  names  are  inter 
woven  with  our  earliest  associations.  I  tread  with  reverence  the  spots 
where  I  can  retrace  the  footsteps  of  our  suffering  fathers :  the  plea 
sant  land  of  their  birth  has  a  claim  on  my  heart.  It  seems  to  me  a 
classic,  yea,  a  holy  land ;  rich  in  the  memory  of  the  great  and  good, 
the  champions  and  the  martyrs  of  liberty,  the  exiled  heralds  of  truth; 
and  richer  as  the  parent  of  this  land  of  promise  in  the  West. 

I  am  not  —  I  need  not  say  I  am  not  —  the  panegyrist  of  England, 
I  am  not  dazzled  by  her  riches,  nor  awed  by  her  power.  The  sceptre, 
the  mitre,  and  the  coronet,  —  stars,  garters,  and  blue  ribbons,  —  seem 
to  me  poor  things  for  great  men  to  contend  for.  Nor  is  my  admira 
tion  awakened  by  her  armies  mustered  for  the  battles  of  Europe,  her 
navies  overshadowing  the  ocean,  nor  her  empire  grasping  the  farthest 
Ea&t.  It  is  these,  and  the  price  of  guilt  and  blood  by  which  they  are 
"oo  often  maintained,  which  are  the  cause  why  no  friend  of  liberty 
can  salute  her  with  undivided  affections.  But  it  is  the  cradle  and 
the  refuge  of  free  principles,  though  often  persecuted ;  the  school  of 
religious  liberty,  thfe  more  precious  for  the  struggles  through  which 
it  has  passed;  the  tombs  of  those  who  have  reflected  honor  on  all 
who  speak  the  English  tongue;  it  is  the  birthplace  of  our  fathers,  the 
home  of  the  Pilgrims,  —  it  is  these  which  I  love  and  venerate  in 
England.  I  should  feel  ashamed  of  an  enthusiasm  for  Italy  and 
Greece,  did  I  not  also  feel  it  for  a  land  like  this.  In  an  American,  it 
would  seem  to  me  degenerate  and  ungrateful  to  hang  with  passion 
upon  the  traces  of  Homer  and  Virgil,  and  follow  without  emotion  the 
nearer  and  plainer  footsteps  of  Shakspeare  and  Milton.  I  should 
think  him  cold  in  his  love  for  his  native  land  who  felt  no  melting  in 
his  heart  for  that  other  native  country  which  holds  the  ashes  of  his 
forefathers.  EDWAKD  EVERETT. 


PUNCTUATION    EXEMPLIFIED.  247 


IV.  — THE  PEN  AND  THE  PRESS. 

Young  Genius  walked  out  by  the  mountains  and  streams, 
Entranced  by  the  power  of  his  own  pleasant  dreams, 
Till  the  silent,  the  wayward,  the  wandering  thing 
Found  a  plume  that  had  fallen  from  a  passing  bird's  wing  : 
Exulting  and  proud,  like  a  boy  at  his  plsiy, 
He  bore  the  new  prize  to  his  dwelling  away; 
He  gazed  for  a  while  on  its  beauties,  and  then 
He  cut  it,  and  shaped  it,  and  called  it  a  PEN. 

But  its  magical  use  he  discovered  not  yet, 

Till  he  dipped  its  bright  lips  in  a  fountain  of  jet; 

And,  oh !  what  a  glorious  thing  it  became ! 

For  it  spoke  to  the  world  in  a  language  of  flame ; 

While  its  master  wrote  on,  like  a  being  inspired, 

Till  the  hearts  of  the  millions  were  melted  or  fired : 

It  came  as  a  boon  and  a  blessing  to  men,  — 

The  peaceful,  the  pure,  the  victorious  Pen. 

Young  Genius  went  forth  on  his  rambles  once  more, 

The  vast,  sunless  caverns  of  earth  to  explore; 

He  searched  the  rude  rock,  and  with  rapture  he  found 

A  substance  unknown,  which  he  brought  from  the  ground ; 

He  fused  it  with  fire,  and  rejoiced  at  the  change, 

As  he  moulded  the  ore  into  characters  strange, 

Till  his  thoughts  and  his  efforts  were  crowned  with  succeed , 

For  an  engine  uprose,  and  he  called  it  the  PRESS. 

The  Pen  and  the  Press,  blest  alliance !  combined 
To  soften  the  heart,  and  enlighten  the  mind ; 
For  that  to  the  treasures  of  knowledge  gave  birth, 
And  this  sent  them  forth  to  the  ends  of  the  earth : 
Their  battles  for  truth  were  triumphant  indeed, 
And  the  rod  of  the  tyrant  was  snapped  like  a  reed ; 
They  were  made  to  exalt  us,  to  teach  us,  to  bless, 
Those  invincible  brothers,  —  the  Pen  and  the  Press. 

JOHN  CKITCHLET  PRINCE. 


248  GENERAL    EXERCISES. 


V.  — A  TASTE   FOR   READING. 

We  cannot  linger  in  the  beautiful  creations  of  inventive  genius, 
or  pursue  the  splendid  discoveries  of  modern  science,  without  a  new 
sense  of  the  capacities  and  dignity  of  human  nature,  which  natu 
rally  leads  to  a  sterner  self-respect,  to  manlier  resolves  and  higher 
aspirations.  We  cannot  read  the  ways  of  God  to  man  as  revealed 
in  the  history  of  nations,  of  sublime  virtues  as  exemplified  in  the 
lives  of  great  and  good  men,  without  falling  into  that  mood  of 
thoughtful  admiration,  which,  though  it  be  but  a  transient  glow,  is  a 
purifying  and  elevating  influence  while  it  lasts.  The  study  of  his 
tory  is  especially  valuable  as  an  antidote  to  self-exaggeration.  It 
teaches  lessons  of  humility,  patience,  and  submission.  When  we 
read  of  realms  smitten  with  the  scourge  of  famine  or  pestilence,  or 
strewn  with  the  bloody  ashes  of  war  ;  of  grass  growing  in  the  streets 
of  great  cities  ;  of  ships  rotting  at  the  wharves  ;  of  fathers  burying 
their  sons  ;  of  strong  men  begging  their  bread  ;  of  fields  untilled, 
and  silent  workshops,  and  despairing  countenances,  —  we  hear  a 
voice  of  rebuke  to  our  own  clamorous  sorrows  and  peevish  com 
plaints.  We  learn  that  pain  and  suffering  and  disappointment  are 
a  part  of  God's  providence,  and  that  no  contract  was  ever  yet 
made  with  man  by  which  virtue  should  secure  to  him  temporal 
happiness. 

In  books,  be  it  remembered,  we  have  the  best  products  of  the 
best  minds.  We  should  any  of  us  esteem  it  a  great  privilege  to  pass 
an  evening  with  Shakspeare  or  Bacon,  were  such  a  thing  possible. 
But,  were  we  admitted  to  the  presence  of  one  of  these  illustrious 
men,  we  might  find  him  touched  with  infirmity,  or  oppressed  with 
weariness,  or  darkened  with  the  shadow  of  a  recent  trouble,  or 
absorbed  by  intrusive  and  tyrannous  thoughts.  To  us  the  oracle 
might  be  dumb,  and  the  light  eclipsed.  But,  when  we  take  down 
one  of  their  volumes,  we  run  no  such  risk.  Here  we  have  their 
best  thoughts,  embalmed  in  their  best  words  :  immortal  flowers  of 
poetry,  wet  with  Castalian  dews,  and  the  golden  fruit  of  wisdom 
that  had  long  ripened  on  the  bough  before  it  was  gathered.  Here 
we  find  the  growth  of  the  choicest  seasons  of  the  mind,  when  mortal 
cares  were  forgotten,  and  mortal  weaknesses  were  subdued  ;  and  the 
soul,  stripped  of  its  vanities  and  its  passions,  lay  bare  to  the  finest 
effluences  of  truth  and  beauty.  We  may  be  sure  that  Shakspeare 
never  out-talked  his  Hamlet,  nor  Bacon  his  Essays.  Great  writers 


PUNCTUATION    EXEMPLIFIED.  249 

are  indeed  best  known  through  their  books.  How  little,  for  instance, 
do  we  know  of  the  life  of  Shukspeare ;  but  how  much  do  we  know 
of  him !  .  . 

For  the  knowledge  that  comes  from  books,  I  would  claim  no  more 
than  it  is  fairly  entitled  to.  I  am  well  aware  that  there  is  no  inevi 
table  connection  between  intellectual  cultivation,  on  the  one  hand, 
nnd  individual  virtue  or  social  well-being,  on  the  other.  "  The  tree 
of  knowledge  is  not  the  tree  of  life."  1  admit  that  genius  and  learn, 
ing  are  sometimes  found  in  combination  with  gross  vices,  and  not 
nnfrequently  with  contemptible  weaknesses;  and  that  a  community 
at  once  cultivated  and  corrupt  is  no  impossible  monster.  But  it  ia 
no  overstatement  to  say,  that,  other  things  being  equal,  the  man 
who  has  the  greatest  amount  of  intellectual  resources  is  in  the  least 
danger  from  inferior  temptations,  —  if  for  no  other  reason,  because 
he  has  fewer  idle  moments.  The  ruin  of  most  men  dates  from  some 
vacant  hour.  Occupation  is  the  armor  of  the  soul;  and  the  train 
of  Idleness  is  borne  up  by  all  the  vices.  I  remember  a  satirical 
poem,  in  which  the  Devil  is  represented  as  fishing  for  men,  and 
adapting  his  baits  to  the  taste  and  temperament  of  his  prey;  but  the 
idler,  he  said,  pleased  him  most,  because  he  bit  the  naked  hook.  To 
a  young  man  away  from  home,  friendless  and  forlorn  in  a  great  city, 
the  hours  of  peril  are  those  between  sunset  and  bedtime;  for  the 
moon  and  stars  see  more  of  evil  in  a  single  hour  than  the  sun  in  his 
whole  day's  circuit.  The  poet's  visions  of  evening  are  all  compact 
of  tender  and  soothing  images.  It  brings  the  wanderer  to  his  home, 
the  child  to  his  mother's  arms,  the  ox  to  his  stall,  and  the  weary 
laborer  to  his  rest.  But  to  the  gentle-hearted  youth  who  is  thrown 
upon  the  rocks  of  a  pitiless  city,  and  stands  "  homeless  amid  a  thou 
sand  homes,"  the  approach  of  evening  brings  with  it  an  aching  sense 
of  loneliness  and  desolation,  which  comes  down  upon  the  spirit  like 
darkness  upon  the  earth.  In  this  mood,  his  best  impulses  become  a 
snare  to  him;  and  he  is  led  astray  because  he  is  social,  affectionate, 
sympathetic,  and  warm-hearted.  If  there  be  a  young  man  thus 
circumstanced,  within  the  sound  of  my  voice,  let  me  say  to  him,  that 
books  are  the  friends  of  the  friendless,  and  that  a  library  is  the  home 
of  the  homeless.  A  taste  for  rending  will  always  carry  you  into  the 
best  possible  company,  and  enable  you  xto  converse  with  men  who 
will  instruct  you  by  their  wisdom,  and  charm  you  by  their  wit  5 
who  will  soothe  you  when  fretted,  refresh  you  when  weary,  counsel 
you  when  perplexed,  and  sympathize  with  you  at  all  times. 

,  GKORGE  S.  HILLARD 


250  GENERAL    EXERCISES. 


VI.  —  RELATIVE  PERFECTION. 

There  is  a  relative,  as  well  as  a  more  general,  perfection  in  man 
which  must  not  be  lost  sight  of  in  examining  the  question  of  his 
proper  vocation  in  life.  There  is  required  of  him,  not  only  a  culturo 
of  his  whole  being  as  a  man,  but  also  a  diligent  and  faithful  adapta 
tion  of  certain  of  his  powers  to  the  particular  circumstances  in 
which  he  is  placed.  Life's  purpose  is  only  adequately  accomplished 
in  discharging  both  these  claims;  and,  indeed,  the  more  limited 
service  is  a  necessary  condition  of  the  general  development.  You 
find  yourself,  then,  occupying  a  given  position  in  the  world.  It  has 
its  appointed  duties,  its  special  opportunities  of  usefulness,  trials 
also,  difficulties  and  temptations  of  its  own.  Take  your  lot  as  it  is 
assigned  you,  without  murmuring.  Make  the  best  of  it;  and,  if  in 
the  eyes  of  men  it  se«ms  unhonored  and  unenviable,  ennoble  it  by 
your  own  spirit,  and  work  your  way  through  it,  by  character  and 
honest  industry,  to  something  better  and  happier.  If,  on  the  other 
hand,  you  find  it  accord  with  your  inclination,  and  open  before  you 
a  fair  prospect  of  worldly  advancement,  be  assured  there  is  nothing 
irreligious  in  honorably  aiming  at  success  and  eminence  in  it,  and 
Btill  less  in  openly  avowing  that  such  is  your  object.  Every  pursuit 
which  conduces  to  the  welfare  of  the  world  has  its  appropriate 
honor  attending  it;  and  a  genuine  virtue  is  developed  bv  enthusiasm 
for  what  is  highest  in  our  own  line  of  action.  You  may  treat  life  as 
a  problem,  which  has  to  be  wrought  out  to  a  successful  result,  with 
certain  moral  conditions  attached  to  it.  Do  not,  because  it  looks 
difficult,  timorously  shrink  from  attempting  the  solution;  but  work 
through  every  part  of  it,  whether  you  get  the  whole  result  or  not, 
without  violating  one  of  its  moral  conditions.  Draw  the  utmost 
from  it  that  it  will  yield  for  temporal  prosperity,  for  social  weight 
and  position,  for  honor,  usefulness,  mental  culture,  and  refined  en 
joyment,  consistently  with  the  strictest  integrity,  with  health  and 
the  exercise  of  the  affections,  with  a  remembrance  of  the  end  of 
life  and  a  cheerful  submission  to  the  divine  will.  Whatever  your 
vocation  in  life,  —  whether  you  labor  with  the  head  or  with  the 
hand;  whether  you  write  books,  or  manufacture  cloth;  whether 
your  ships  cross  every  sea,  or  your  whole  stock  in  trade  is  contained 
within  the  four  w:\lls  of  your  humble  shop;  whether  vou  sit  on  the 
bench  of  justice,  or  earn  your  honest  wages  from  week  to  week,  — 
honcr  your  work  as  assigned  you  by  God,  who  regards  not  its 


PUNCTUATION    EXEMPLIFIED.  251 

subject- matter,  but  the  spirit  in  which  it  is  performed;  anil,  as  in 
his  sight,  with  a  loyal  and  devoted  heart,  strive  to  be  outdone  by  no 
one  in  the  completeness  and  efficiency  of  its  execution. 

This  is  the  healthy  view  of  our  human  world.  Contentment, 
comfort,  abundance,  depend  on  its  wide  diffusion.  It  would  put 
every  one  in  his  proper  place,  and  fit  him  with  his  proper  task.  It 
would  let  none  be  idle,  and  leave  none  in  want.  It  would  abolish 
useless  privilege,  and  bring  all  under  the  constraint  of  wholesome 
duty.  This  view  reconciles  earth  and  heaven.  While  we  are  in  the 
world,  it  makes  us,  in  the  best  of  senses,  friends  with  the  world, 
but  not  less  fitted  for  heaven  when  we  pass  away.  It  is  also  tho 
honest  and  sincere  view.  Thousands  who  disown  it  act  upon  it;  and 
none  more  so,  and  with  a  keener  eye  even  to  selfish  advancement, 
than  some  who  put  forth  an  exclusive  claim  to  the  religious  cha 
racter.  Such  is  the  course  of  action  which  contributes  to  relative 
perfection,  by  linking  our  individual  lives  through  specific  duties 

»ith  the  general  well-being  of  the  world. 

JOHN  JAMES  TAYLEH. 


VII.  —  LABOR  NOT  LOST. 

A  genial  moment  oft  has  given 

What  years  of  toil  and  pain, 
Of  long  industrious  toil,  have  striven 

To  win,  and  all  in  vain : 
Yet  count  not,  when  thine  end  is  won, 

That  labor  merely  lost; 
Nor  say  it  had  been  wiser  done 

To  spare  the  painful  cost. 

When,  heaped  upon  the  altar,  lie 

All  things  to  feed  the  fire, 
One  spark  alighting  from  on  high, 

The  flames  at  once  aspire : 
But  those  sweet  gums  and  fragrant  woods, 

Its  rich  materials  rare, 
By  tedious  quest  o'er  lands  and  floods 

Hud  first  been  gathered  there. 

B.  C.  TRKNCH. 


252  GENERAL    EXERCISES. 


Vin.  — ANCIENT  AND   MODERN   WRITERS. 

Tho  classics  possess  a  peculiar  charm,  from  the  circumstance 
that  they  have  been  the  models,  I  might  almost  say  the  masters,  of 
composition  and  thought  in  all  ages.  In  the  contemplation  of  these 
august  teachers  of  mankind,  we  are  filled  with  conflicting  emotions. 
They  are  the  early  voice  of  die  world,  better  remembered  and 
more  cherished  still  than  all  the  intermediate  words  that  have  been 
uttered;  as  the  lessons  of  childhood  still  haunt  us  when  the  impres 
sions  of  later  years  have  been  effaced  from  the  mind.  But  they 
show  with  most  unwelcome  frequency  the  tokens  of  the  world's 
childhood,  before  passion  had  yielded  to  the  sway  of  reason  and  the 
affections.  They  want  the  highest  charm  of  purity,  of  righteousness, 
of  elevated  sentiments,  of  love  to  God  and  man.  It  is  not  in  the 
frigid  philosophy  of  the  Porch  and  the  Academy  that  we  are  to  seek 
these;  not  in  the  marvellous  teachings  of  Socrates,  as  they  come 
mended  by  the  mellifluous  words  of  Plato;  not  in  the  resounding  line 
of  Homer,  on  whose  inspiring  tale  of  blood  Alexander  pillowed  his 
head;  not  in  the  animated  strain  of  Pindar,  where  virtue  is  pictured 
in  the  successful  strife  of  an  athlete  at  the  Isthmian  games;  not  in 
the  torrent  of  Demosthenes,  dark  with  self-love  and  the  spirit  of 
vengeance;  not  in  the  fitful  philosophy  and  intemperate  eloquence 
of  Tully;  not  in  the  genial  libertinism  of  Horace,  or  the  stately 
atheism  of  Lucretius.  No:  these  must  not  be  our  masters;  in  none 
of  these  are  we  to  seek  the  way  of  life.  For  eighteen  hundred  years, 
the  spirit  of  these  writers  has  been  engaged  in  weaponless  contest 
with  the  Sermon  on  the  Mount,  and  those  two  sublime  command- 
inents  on  which  hang  all  the  law  and  the  prophets.  The  strife  is 
still  pending.  Heathenism,  which  has  possessed  itself  of  such  siren 
forms,  is  not  yet  exorcised.  It  still  tempts  the  young,  controls  the 
affairs  of  active  life,  and  haunts  the  meditations  of  age. 

Oui  own  productions,  though  they  may  yield  to  those  of  tho 
uncients  in  the  arrangement  of  ideas,  in  method,  in  beauty  of  form, 
and  in  freshness  of  illustration,  are  immeasurably  superior  in  the 
truth,  delicacy,  and  elevation  of  their  sentiments;  above  all,  in  the 
benign  recognition  of  that  great  Christian  revelation,  the  brother 
hood  of  man.  How  vain  are  eloquence  and  poetry,  compared  with 
this  heaven-descended  truth!  Put  in  one  scale  that  simple  utter 
ance,  and  in  the  other  the  lore  of  antiquity,  with  its  accumulating 


PUNCTUATION    EXEMPLIFIED.  253 

glosses  and  commentaries,  and  the  last  will  be  light  and  trivial  in 
the  balance.  Greek  poetry  has  been  likened  to  the  song  of  the 
nightingale,  as  she  sits  in  the  rich,  symmetrical  crown  of  the  palm- 
tree,  trilling  her  thick-warbled  notes;  but  even  this  is  less  sweot 
and  tender  than  the  music  of  the  human  heart. 

CHARLES  SUMNKB. 


IX.  — THE  TRUE  SOURCE  OF  REFORM. 

The  great  element  of  reform  is  not  born  of  human  wisdom;  it 
does  not  draw  its  life  from  human  organizations.  I  find  it  only  in 
Christianity.  "  Thy  kingdom  come,"  —  there  is  a  sublime  and 
pregnant  burden  in  this  prayer.  It  is  the  aspiration  of  every  soul 
that  goes  forth  in  the  spirit  of  reform.  For  what  is  the  significance 
of  this  prayer?  It  is  a  petition  that  all  holy  influences  would  pene 
trate  and  subdue  and  dwell  in  the  heart  of  man,  until  he  shall  think 
and  speak  and  do  good  from  the  very  necessity  of  his  being.  So 
would  the  institutions  of  error  and  wrong  crumble  and  pass  away. 
So  would  sin  die  out  from  the  earth;  and,  the  human  soul  living 
in  harmony  with  the  divine  will,  this  earth  would  become  like 
heaven. 

It  is  too  late  for  the  reformers  to  sneer  at  Christianity ;  it  is  fool 
ishness  for  them  to  reject  it.  In  it  are  enshrined  our  faith  in  human 
progress,  our  confidence  in  reform.  It  is  indissolubly  connected  with 
all  that  is  hopeful,  spiritual,  capable,  in  man.  That  men  have  mis 
understood  it  and  perverted  it,  is  true.  But  it  is  also  true  that  the 
noblest  efforts  for  human  melioration  have  come  out  of  it,  have  been 
based  upon  it.  Is  it  not  so  ?  Come,  ye  remembered  ones,  who  sleep 
the  sleep  of  the  just,  who  took  your  conduct  from  the  line  of  Chris 
tian  philosophy!  —  come  from  your  tombs,  and  answer. 

Come,  Howard!  from  the  gloom  of  the  prison  and  the  taint  of 
the  lazar-house,  and  show  us  what  philanthropy  can  do  when  imbued 
with  the  spirit  of  Jesus.  Come,  Eliot!  from  the  thick  forest  where 
the  red  man  listens  to  the  word  of  life;  come,  Penn!  from  thy  sweet 
counsel  and  weaponless  victory,  —  and  show  us  what  Christian  zeal 
and  Christian  love  can  accomplish  with  the  rudest  barbarians  or  the 
fiercest  hearts.  Come,  Raikes!  from  thy  labors  with  the  ignorant 
and  the  poor,  and  show  us  with  what  an  eye  this  faith  regards  the 
lowest  and  least  of  our  race ;  and  how  diligently  it  labors,  not  fcir 


254  GENERAL    EXERCISES. 

the  body,  not  for  the  rank,  but  for  the  plastic  soul  that  is  to  course 
the  ages  of  immortality. 

And  ye,  who  are  a  great  number,  —  ye  nameless  ones,  —  who 
have  done  good  in  your  narrower  spheres,  content  to  forego  renown 
on  earth,  and  seeking  your  reward  in  the  record  on  high!  come,  and 
tell  us  how  kindly  a  spirit,  how  lofty  a  purpose,  or  how  strong  a 
courage,  the  religion  ye  professed  can  breathe  into  the  poor,  the 
humble,  and  the  weak. 

Go  forth,  then,  Spirit  of  Christianity!  to  thy  great  work  of  re 
form.  The  Past  bears  witness  to  thee  in  the  blood  of  thy  martyrs, 
and  the  ashes  of  thy  saints  and  heroes.  The  Present  is  hopeful 
because  of  thee.  The  Future  shall  acknowledge  thy  omnipotence. 

E.  H.  CHAI-IN. 


X.  — GREAT  MEN  GENERALLY  GOOD. 
(Seep.  124.) 

Those  who  have  snone  in  all  ages  as  the  lights  of  the  world ;  the 
most  celebrated  names  that  are  recorded  in  the  annals  of  fame; 
legislators,  the  founders  of  states,  and  the  fathers  of  their  country, 
on  whom  succeeding  ages  have  looked  back  with  filial  reverence ; 
patriots,  the  guardians  of  the  laws,  who  have  stemmed  the  torrent  of 
corruption  in  every  age;  heroes,  the  saviours  of  their  country,  who 
have  returned  victorious  from  the  field  of  battle,  or,  more  than  victo 
rious,  who  have  died  for  their  country;  philosophers,  who  have  opened 
the  book  of  nature,  and  explained  the  wonders  of  almighty  power; 
bards,  who  have  sung  the  praises  of  virtue  and  of  virtuous  men, 
whose  strains  carry  them  down  to  immortality,  —  with  a  few  excep- 
tkyis,  have  been  uniformly  on  the  side  of  goodness,  and  have  been  as 
distinguished  in  the  temple  of  fame.  It  was  one  of  the  maxims  which 
governed  their  lives,  that  there  is  nothing  in  nature  whicli  can  com 
pensate  wickedness;  that,  although  the  rewards  and  punishments 
which  influence  illiberal  and  ungenerous  minds  were  set  aside;  that, 
although  the  thunders  of  the  Almighty  were  hushed,  and  the  gates  of 
paradise  were  open  no  more,  they  would  follow  religion  and  virtue  for 
their  own  sake,  and  co-operate  with  eternal  Providence  in  perpetual 
endeavors  to  favor  the  good,  to  depress  the  bad,  and  to  promote  the 
happiness  of  the  whole  creation. 

JOHN  LOGAN. 


A  T  P  E  N  D  I  X 


APPENDIX. 


L  —  USES  OF  CAPITAL  LETTERS. 

THOUGH  tiie  subject  jf  capital  letters  is  but  indirectly 
allied  to  punctuation,  it  may  be  suitable  here  to  lay  down 
a  few  principles,  useful  to  all  who  are  desirous  of  com 
bining  taste  and  propriety  in  their  compositions,  espe 
cially  to  persons  likely  to  become  in  any  way  connected 
with  the  public  press.  It  was  formerly  the  custom  to 
use  capitals  with  greater  frequency  and  less  discrimina 
tion  than  it  is  at  the  present  day ;  almost  every  noun, 
nay,  in  some  cases  almost  every  word  of  the  slightest 
importance,  having  had  its  initial  thus  distinguished. 
The  following  is  a  moderate  specimen  of  the  style 
alluded  to,  taken  from  Clarendon's  **  History  of  the  Re 
bellion,"  where  he  treats  of  Lord  Straiford's  death :  — 

"  Thus  Fell  the  greatest  Subject  in  power,  and  little  inferior  to 
any  in  Fortune  that  was  at  that  time  in  any  of  the  three  Kingdoms ; 
Who  could  well  remember  the  time  when  he  led  those  People  who 
then  pursued  him  to  his  Grave.  He  was  a  man  of  great  Parts,  and 
extraordinary  Endowments  of  Nature;  not  unadorned  with  some 
addition  of  Art  and  Learning,  though  that  again  was  more  improved 
and  illustrated  by  the  other." 

But  as  this  practice  was  to  a  great  extent  arbitrary, 
and  did  not  possess  the  advantage  of  either  ornament 
or  utility,  the  use  of  capital  letters  is  now  very  properly 
limited  to  the  applications  about  to  be  mentioned. 

17 


258  APPENDIX. 

RULE    I. 
The  First  Word  of  a  Book,  Tract,  §c. 

The  first  word  of  every  book,  tract,  essay,  &c.,  and  of 
(heir  great  divisions,  —  chapters,  sections,  paragraphs, 
and  notes,  —  must  commence  with  a  capital  letter. 

REMARKS. 

o.  Numerous  exemplifications  of  the  rule  will  be  found  in  the 
present  or  any  other  work. 

b.  Phrases  or  clauses,  when  separately  numbered,  begin  each  with 
a  capital  letter;  as,  "The  reproach  of  barbarism  may  be  incurred 
hi  three  different  ways:  1.  By  the  use  of  words  entirely  obsolete; 
2.  By  the  use  of  words  entirely  new ;  or,  3.  By  new  formations  and 
compositions  from  simple  and  primitive  words  in  present  use." 

RULE    II. 
The  First  Word  after  a  Full  Point. 

The  first  word  after  a  period,  and  after  a  note  oi 
interrogation  or  exclamation  when  grammatically  equi 
valent  to  a  period,  should  begin  with  a  capital ;  as,  — 

1.  Let  the  tone  of  your  conversation  be  invariably  benevolent.    Diffej 
without  asperity ;  agree  without  dogmatism.    Kind  words  cost  no  more  than 
unkind  ones. 

2.  What  Is  it  that  keeps  men  in  continual  discontent  and  agitation?    It 
Is,  that  they  cannot  make  realities  correspond  with  their  conceptions. 

3.  Fair,  fair,  shall  be  the  flowers  that  spring  over  thy  tomb,  dear,  gentle 
Elia!     Sweet  shall  be  the  aong  — sweet  as  thiue  own  — that  shall  lure  the 
wanderer  to  the  spot  where  thy  urn  receives  the  tears  of  the  stranger. 

REMARKS. 

a.  Some  writers  and  printers  always  commence  with  a  capital 
letter  the  word  immediately  following  a  colon ;  but  this  should  take 
place  only  when  required  by  other  rules. 

b.  When  the  period  is  a  mark  for  an  abbreviated  word  or  phrase 
which  does  not  end  a  sentence,  the  following  word  is  commenced, 
not  with  a  capital,  but  with  a  small  letter;  as,  "  Franklin  had  the 


CAPITAL    LETTERS.  25D 

degree  of  LL.D.  conferred  on  him  by  the  University  of  St.  Andrew's, 
Scotland."  Here  it  will  be  seen,  that  the  initial  of  "  conferred  "  is 
email.  The  word  "  Andrew's,"  indeed,  though  coming  after  an 
abbreviation,  is  put  with  a  capital ;  but  this,  of  course,  arises  from 
the  fact  that  "  St.  Andrew's  "  is  a  proper  name. 

c.  When  two  or  more  sentences,  of  an  exclamatory  or  interroga 
tive  kind,  are  closely  connected  in  sense  and  construction,  all  of 
them,  except  the  first,  begin  with  a  small  letter;  as,  "  How  ugly 
a  person  appears,  upon  whose  reputation  some  awkward  aspersion 
hangs !  and  how  suddenly  his  countenance  clears  up  with  his  cha 
racter!  "  —  "  What  child  is  there,  who,  in  a  toyshop,  does  not  prefer 
the  gaudiest  toy,  if  all  other  circumstances  of  attraction  be  the 
same  V  or,  rather,  to  what  child  are  not  this  very  glare  and  glitter 
the  chief  circumstances  of  attraction  V  and  in  what  island  of  savages 
have  our  circumnavigators  found  the  barbarian  to  differ  in  this 
respect  from  the  child  V  "  In  the  passages  just  cited,  the  words 
"  and,"  "  or,"  which  follow  the  note  of  exclamation  and  of  inter 
rogation,  are  begun  with  small  letters,  because  these  marks  are 
equivalent,  not  to  full  points,  but  to  semicolons. 

RULE    III. 
Appellations  of  God  and  Christ. 

Names  of  the  Deity  and  of  Jesus  Christ  must  com 
mence  with  a  capital  letter ;  as,  — 

1.  Jehovah,  Lord,  God;  Creator,  Father,  Preserver,  Governor;  the  Eternal 
the  Almighty,  the  All-wise;  the  Supreme  Being;  the  Holy  Spirit. 

2.  The  Messiah,  the  Anointed;  the  Son,  the  Saviour,  the  Redeemer;  the 
Holy  One;  Prophet,  Teacher,  Master;  Judge  of  the  world. 

REMARKS. 

a.  Some  of  these  and  similar  words  are  begun,  sometimes  with  a 
capital,  and  sometimes  with  a  small  letter,  according  to  the  sense  in 
which  they  are  taken.  Thus,  God,  with  a  large  initial,  is  the  name 
of  the  Supreme  Being;  god,  with  a  small  character,  an  appellation 
used  occasionally  of  men,  angels,  and  false  divinities;  as,  "The 
Lord  is  a  great  God  above  all  yods" 

6.  With  initial  capitals,  Lord  and  King  are  applied  to  God  and 
Christ;  with  a  small  /  and  &,  the  same  words  denote  men  having 
^utu.ority  and  power.  Thus,  in  the  Apocalypse,  our  Saviour  is 


2GO 


APT  END  IX. 


called  "Lord  of  lords,  and  King  of  kings;  "  and,  in  the  Old  Tester 
ment,  a  great  sovereign  is  styled  a  "  king  of  kings." 

c.  From  the  vagueness  of  the  ideas  represented  by  the  word 
nature,  it  is  difficult  to  lay  down  any  precise  rule  as  to  the  mode  of 
writing  or  printing  it.     In  general,  it  should  begin  with  a  small  n; 
as,  "He  looks  through  nature  up  to  nature's  God;"  except  when 
strongly  personified,  or  when  clearly  used  of  the  intelligent  Principle 
of  the  universe. 

d.  Providence,  with  an  initial  capital,  denotes  the  infinitely  good 
Being  who  provides  for  the   wants  of  his  creatures;  but,  when 
beginning  with  a  small  p,  it  means  either  divine  superintendence  or 
human  foresight.     So,  Heaven,  with  a  capital  //,  signifies  God,  the 
Sovereign  of  heaven,  or  of  the  celestial  regions. 

e.  The  adjectives  divine,  heavenly,  eternal,  universal,  providential, 
and  others  of  a  similar  kind,  when  applied  to  God,  his  attributes,  or 
his  agency,  are  sometimes  written  initially  with  capitals;  but,  unless 
when  particularly  emphatic,  small  letters  are  preferable,  because 
the  names  of  the  Deity  occurring  in  the  connection  sufficiently  indi 
cate  the  Being  referred  to. 

f.  As  exceptions  to   Remark  e,  the  epithets  occurring  in  First 
Cause,  Divine  or  Supreme  Being,  Almiyhty  God,  Infinite  One,  should 
begin  with  large  letters,  because  universal  custom  favors  this  mode 
of  writing.     The  adjective  Most  IKyh  or  Iliyhest  should  also  appear 
with  an  initial  capital,  when  the  noun  which  it  qualifies  is  not  used. 

g.  When  the  attributes  of  the  Deity  or  of  the  Saviour  are  ex 
pressed,  not  by  adjectives,  but,  in  the  Hebrew  style,  by  nouns,  —  as, 
Father  of  mercies,  God  of  urisdom,  Prince  of  peace,  instead  of  the 
merciful  Father,  the  wise  God,  llie  peaceful  Prince,  — they  should 
begin,  like  the  adjectives,  with  small  letters,  as  here  exemplified. 

h.  The  appellation  Son  of  man,  when  applied  to  Christ,  whether 
by  way  of  eminence  or  of  humility,  is  probably  better  printed,  not 
"  Son  of  Man  "  or  "  son  of  man,"  but  as  it  appears  in  the  corrmon 
version  of  the  Bible,  and  in  the  first  line  of  this  remark. 

i.  The  word  S/ririt,  and  the  phrases  Holy  or  Divine  Spirit,  H>,ly 
Ghost,  Spirit  of  God,  are  usually  capitalized,  whether  said  of  the 
Deity  or  of  his  gifts  and  influences.  Some  writers,  however,  restrict 
the  capitals  to  these  terms  when 'they  have  a  personal  import,  but 
use  small  letters  when  they  signify  merely  divine  inspiration  or 
heavenly  aid.  As  the  mode  of  exhibiting  these  words  is  as  much  a 
matter  of  theology  as  of  taste,  authors  should  be  particularly  careful 
to  write  the  initials  as  they  wish  them  to  be  printed. 


CAPITAL    LETTERS.  261 

/.  Pronouns  referring  to  God  and  Christ  should  not  begin  with 
capitals,  unless  they  are  used  emphatically  without  a  noun.  Hymns 
and  prayers  are  often  disfigured  by  the  unnecessary  use  cf  these 
letters,  as  in  the  following  lines:  — 

These  are  Thy  glorious  works,  Parent  of  good, 

Almighty !  Thine  this  universal  frame, 

Thus  wondrous  fair :  Thyself  how  wondrous  then !  — 

which  would  lose  none  of  their  true  grandeur,  if  more  simply 
printed :  — 

These  are  thy  glorious  works,  Parent  of  good, 

Almighty !  thine  this  universal  frame, 

Thus  wondrous  fair :  thyself  how  wondrous  then ! 


RULE    IV. 
Titles  of  Honor  and  Respect. 

Titles  of  honor  and  respect,  either  descriptive  of  per 
sons  in  exalted  stations  or  addressed  to  them,  usually 
begin  with  capital  letters  ;  as,  — 

1.  Her  Majesty,  His  Honor,  Your  Royal  Highness,  Your  Grace. 

2.  My  Lord,  my  Lady ;  dear  Sir,  respected  Madam  or  Friend. 

3.  The  President  of  the  United  States. 

4.  His  Excellency  the  Governor  of  Massachusetts. 

REMARKS. 

a.  In  the  rules  and  reports  of  societies,  institutions,  &c.,  names 
indicating  office  should  begin  with  capitals ;  as,  Chairman,  President, 
Vice-President,  Treasurer,  Secretary,  Committee,  Directors,  Board  of 
Managers.     So    also,  when  used  in   a  specific  sense,  the  words 
Report,  Society,  Institution,   Corporation,   Constitution,   Commonwealth, 
State,    University,    College,  Academy,   School,    Congress,   Parliament, 
Legislature,  &c.    In  the  plural  number,  or  when  used  in  a  general 
sense,  such  words  are  properly  put  in  small  characters. 

b.  The  pope;  his  or  her  majesty ;  king,  queen;  duke,  duchess;  lord, 
lady ;  sir,  madam ;  president,  governor,  and  words  of  a  similar  kind, 
should  be  written  or  printed  with  small  initials,  when  they  occur 
very  frequently,  or  without  any  particular  expression  of  honor. 
When  prefixed  to  proper  names,  however,  they  are  always  begun 


2G2  APPENDIX. 


with  capitals;  as,  President  Je^ervon,  Governor  Winthrop,  Professor 
Longfellow,  Lord  Brougham,  Countess  of  Blessington,  Queen  Victoria^ 
the  Emperor  Napoleon,  J'ope  Pius  IX. 

c.  So,  also,  father,  mother;  brother,  sister;  uncle,  aunt,  &c.,  com 
mence  with  capital  letters  when  put  before  proper  names  ;  as,  Aunt 
Dorothy,  Brother  Gray.  But  the  term  father,  when  applied  to  any 
of  the  early  orthodox  writers  of  the  Christian  Church,  is  begun  with 
a  capital,  whether  it  be  or  be  not  prefixed  to  a  proper  name?  us, 
"  Even  the  soundest  of  the  Fathers  held  some  opinions  inconsistent 
with  the  doctrines  of  the  gospel." 

RULE    V. 

Names  of  Persons,  Places,  $c. 

All  proper  names,  whether  of  animate  or  inanimate 
existences,  begin  with  capitals  ;  as,  — 

1.  Jupiter,  Juno;  Pom  pey,  Penelope;  William,  Sarah. 

2.  America,  Europe  ;  France,  Spain,  Great  Britain. 

3.  New  York,  Philadelphia;  London,  Edinburgh,  Broadway. 

4.  The  Atlantic,  the  Red  Sea,  Lake  Erie,  the  Alps. 

6.  January,  Monday,  Christmas,  Good  Friday,  Easter. 

REMARKS. 

a.  When  the  word  devil  is  used  of  Satan,  it  may  begin  with  a 
capital;  as,  the  Devil  and  his  angels.  But  when  employed  of  demo 
niacal  agents  or  of  wicked  men,  whether  in  the  singular  or  tho 
plural  number,  it  commences  with  a  small  letter. 

6.  The  words  heaven,  hell  ,  paradise  ,  the  celestial  and  the  infernal 
regions,  representing  either  states  of  mind  or  places  of  reward  and 
punishment,  usually  begin  with  small  letters;  but  Elysium,  Tartarus, 
and  Pandemonium,  with  capitals. 

c.  Appellatives,  merely  expletory,  coming  before  proper  narres, 
are  begun  with  small  letters;  but,  when  put  immediately  after  them, 
they  are  distinguished  by  capitals;  as,  the  river  Thames,  the  city  of 
London;  London  City,  the  Thames  River. 

d.  When  North,  South,  East,  West,  &c.,  denote  certain  countries 
of  which  we  are  accustomed  to  speak,  or  the  people  who  reside  in 
certain  parts  of  the  globe  or  in  districts  of  our  own  land,  they  are 
written  or  printed  with  initial   capitals;  as,  "This  man's  accent 
shows  that  he  belongs  to  the  South."     But,  when   they  refer  to 


CAPITAL    LETTERS.  263 

places  or  things  as  being  more  to  the  north,  south,  &c.,  than  others, 
these  words  are  begun  with  small  letters ;  as,  "  London  is  situated 
east  of  Windsor." 

e.  Sunday,  as  one  of  the  days  of  the  week,  always  has  an  initial 
capital;  while,  on  the  contrary,  sabbath,  or  sMuth-day,  is  perhaps 
more  frequently  written  and  printed  with  a  small  s  than  with  a 
large  one.  The  initials  in  Lord's  Day,  New  Year's  Day,  &c.,  are 
usually  capitalized. 

RULE    VI. 
Nouns  and  Adjectives  derived  from  Proper  Names. 

Gentile  nouns,  adjectives  derived  from  gentile  nouns, 
and  nouns  or  adjectives  formed  from  proper  names, 
begin  with  capitals  ;  as,  — 

1.  A  Hebrew,  a  Greek,  a  Roman,  a  German,  a  Spaniard,  a  Frenchman. 

2.  Hebrew,  Grecian,  Roman,  Italian,  French,  Spanish,  American. 

3.  A  Christian,  a  Brahmin,  a  Mahometan;  Augustan,  Elizabethan. 

REMARKS. 

a.  Names  of  sectaries,  whether  formed  from  proper  nouns  or  other 
wise,  should  begin  with  capitals ;  as,  "  Good  men  are  found  among 
Christian  denominations  of  the  most  opposite  doctrines,  —  among  Ro- 
man  Catholics  and  Protestants,  Athanasians  and  Arians,  Trinitarians 
and  Unitarians,  Lutherans,  Calvinists,  Arminians,  and  Universalists." 
So,  also,  when  used  adjectively;  as,  the  Wesleyan  doctrines;  Papal, 
Protestant,  and  Episcopal  ceremonies. 

b.  A  few  adjectives  and  common  nouns,  derived   from  proper 
names,  are  usually  printed  with  small  initials ;  as,  godlike,  stentorian, 
hermetical,  hymeneal,  prussic ;  epicure,  epicurism ;  philippic,  simony, 
jalap,  damask,  cashmere  (shawl),  china  (ware),  guinea  (a  coin),  turkey 
(a  fowl),  champagne  (wine).     These  and  similar  words  are  so  written, 
because  usually  little  or  no  reference  is  made  to  the  proper  nanies 
from  which  they  were  derived. 

c.  For  the  same  reason,  the  verbs  to  hector,  to  phillppize,  to  'romance, 
to  galvanize,  to  japan,  should  be  written  with  small  letters.     But,  on 
account  of  their  more  obvious  allusion  to  the  proper  names  whence 
they  have  been  taken,  Judaize  and  Christianize  are  better  written  or 
printed  with  initial  capitals.     The  compounds  unchristian,  antichris- 
tian,  &c.,  are,  however,  done  with  small  characters. 


264  APPENDIX. 

RULE    VII. 
Words  of  Primary  Importance. 

Words  of  primary  importance,  especially  if  they 
indicate  some  great  event,  or  remarkable  change  in 
religion  or  government,  are  commenced  with  capital 
letters ;  as,  — 

1.  The  Reformation,  effected  mainly  by  Luther,  Is  one  of  the  most  won 
derful  67ents  in  modern  times. 

2.  Glorious  New  England!   around  thy  hills  and  mountains  cling,  like 
thering  mists,  the  mighty  memories  of  the  Revolution. 

REMARKS. 

a.  The  use  of  capitals  in  important  words  and  phrases  seems  to 
be,  in  some  measure,  a  matter  of  mere  taste  or  caprice.     Channing 
not  unfrequently  represents  the  greatest  of  his  great  ideas  by  words 
having  initial  capitals;    Carl  vie,  and  other  imitators  "of  German 
thought  and  expression,  employ  them  superabundantly,  and  with 
little  discrimination;  while  others  are  particularly  careful  that  the 
uniformity  which  is  so  desirable  in  a  printed  page  be  marred  as  little 
as  possible  by  the  practice  referred  to. 

b.  Every  noun  or  leading  word  in  the  titles  of  books  and  other 
publications  must  begin,  wherever  it  occurs,  with  a  capital  letter-, 
as,  "  Gray's  '  Elegy  in  a  Country  Churchyard  '  is  perhaps  the  finest 
poem  of  the  kind  in  the  English  or  any  other  language." 

c.  Terms  denoting  the  records  of  the  Jewish  and  Christian  reve 
lations  are  distinguished  by  initial  capitals;  as,  tiie  Scriptures,  the 
Holy  Bible,  the  Sacred  Writings,  the  Old  and  the  New  Testament.     But 
the  phrase  word  of  God,  when  employed  in  this  sense,  is  begun  with  a 
small  letter;  while  the  term  Word,  or  "  Logos,"  as  used  by  St.  John 
in  the  introduction  to  his  Gospel,  and  so  much  discussed  by  divines, 
is  generally  written  and  printed  with  a  capital. 

d.  The  word  gospel  has  a  small  letter  for  its  initial  when  it  means 
the  religion  of  Jesus,  but  a  capital  when  it  denotes  one  of  the  four 
Gospels ;  as,  the  Gospel  of  Matthew.     So,  also,  the  term  revelation 
when  denoting  the  divine  instructions  contained  in  the  Bible,  begins 
with  a  small  letter;  but,  used  of  the  Apocalypse,  or  Revelation  of  St. 
John,  it  must  be  distinguished  with  a  capital. 


CAPITAL    LETTERS.  2G5 

e.  The  word  church,  when  used  by  itself  or  in  a  general  sense, 
should   begin   with  a  small   letter;   but,  when   connected   with  an 
adjective  indicating  a  particular  body  of  Christians,  it  should  com 
mence  with  a  capital ;  as,  the  Protestant  Church. 

f.  So,  also,  the  term  catholic,  whether  as  a  noun  or  an  adjective, 
should  be  written  and  printed  with  a  small  c,  when  it  is  used  of  all 
Christians,  or  of  men  of  liberal  and  tolerant  principles;  but  with  a 
capital  when  significant  merely  of  the  Romish  community. 

g.  For  the  sake  of  uniformity,  the  names  Gentile,  Heathen,  and 
Pagan,  so  often  occurring  in  connection  with  Jew,  should,  when 
used  as  nouns,  begin  with  capitals;  but,  when  employed  adjectively, 
with  small  letters.    The  words  orthodoxy,  orthodox ;  heterodoxy,  hetero 
dox;   heresy,  heretic,  heretical;   mysticism,  mystic,  mystical;    atfieism, 
atheist,  adieistic ;  pantheism,  pantheist, pantheistic ;  deism,  deist,  deistical ; 
rationalism,  rationalist,  rationalistic ;  supernaturalism,  supernaturalist ; 
transcendentalism,  transcendentalist,  transcendental ;  spiritualism,  spi 
ritualist,  are  usually  put  with  small  characters.    The  term  Orthodox, 
however,  when  used  of  any  particular  section  of  the  orthodox  body 
of  Christians,  should  begin  with  a  capital  letter;  as,  the  Orthodox 
Gmyregalionalists.  —  See  p.  263,  Remark  a. 

h.  Designations  of  political  parties  should  commence  each  with 
a  capital  letter;  as,  Whig,  Tory,  Federalist,  Democrat,  Republican^ 
Conservative,  Radical,  Free  Soiler. 

i.  In  advertisements,  handbills,  and  cards,  the  principal  words  — 
such  as  the  names  of  the  arts  and  sciences,  and  nouns  occurring  in 
a  list  of  articles  —  are  properly  begun  with  capitals. 

RULE    VIII. 
The  Pronoun  I,  and  the  Interjection  O. 

The  pronoun  I,  and  the  interjection  0,  should  inva 
riably  be  written  or  printed  in  capitals ;  as,  — 

With  three  steps  I  compass  thy  grave,  0  thou  who  wast  so  great  before! 

REMARKS. 

a.  The  interjection  oh  should  never,  as  is  sometimes  done,  be  put 
with  an  initial  capital,  except  at  the  beginning  of  a  sentence,  or  of  a 
line  in  verse. 

b.  For  the  modes  of  using  the  two  words  0  and  oh,  see  page  160, 
Remark  c 


266  APPENDIX. 

RULE    IX. 
Commencement  of  Lines  in  Verse. 

The  first  word  of  every  line  in  poetry  is  begun  with 
a  capital  letter ;  as,  — 

No  eye  beheld  when  William  plunged 

Young  Edmund  in  the  stream ; 
No  human  ear  but  William's  heard 

Young  Edmund's  drowning  scream. 

REMARKS. 

a.  The  initial  letter  in  the  first  word  of  a  poetical  quotation, 
though  not  beginning  a  line,  should  be  capitalized;  as,  "  One  of  the 
most  illustrious  names  in  the  literary  annals  of  Europe  is  that  of 

Spenser.  — 

*  That  gentle  bard, 

Choeen  by  the  Muses  for  their  page  of  state.'  " 

b.  In  humorous  verse,  when  a  portion  of  a  word  is  put  at  the  end 
of  one  line,  and  the  other  portion  at  the  beginning  of  the  next,  the 
latter  should  be  put  with  a  small  initial ;  as,  — 

Paganini,  Paganini! 
Never  was  there  such  a  geni 
us  before  as  Paganini. 

RULE    X. 
Prosopopoeia^  or  Personification. 

Nouns  that  represent  inanimate  beings  as  persons 
should  begin  with  capitals  ;  as,  — 

Better  to  sit  in  Freedom's  hall, 
With  a  cold,  damp  floor,  and  a  mouldering  wall, 
Than  to  bend  the  neck  or  to  bow  the  knoe 
In  the  proudest  palace  of  Slavery. 

REMARKS. 

a.  According  to  this  rule,  all  such  words  as  the  Muses,  the  Graces, 
the  Furies,  the  Fates,  should  be  distinguished  by  capitals.  Wh^n 
M  the  graces  "  is  used  of  certain  moral  affections,  a  common  g  i* 
oroperly  used. 


CAPITAL    LETTERS.  267 

6.  So,  also,  Spring,  Summer,  Autumn,  Winter;  (he  Sun,  the  Earth, 
Sie  J/<>on,  and  the  Shirs,  should  each  begin  with  a  capital  when  they 
are  personified,  but  with  a  small  letter  when  the}'  are  used  in  ordi 
nary  composition.  Iii  works  on  astronomy,  it  is  better  to  capitalize 
them. 

c.  The  rule  should  be  applied  with  some  discrimination.  It  is 
only  when  the  figure  pratqpcfMBM  is  uncommonly  vivid  that  the  noun 
should  have  its  initial  with  a  capital  letter;  there  being  a  tendency, 
even  in  the  most  inanimate  compositions,  to  impart  a  certain  degree 
of  life  and  energy  to  the  representatives  of  our  thoughts.  But, 
though  in  numberless  instances  it  would  be  improper  to  capitalize 
such  words,  the  more  glowing  personifications  of  the  poet  and  the 
orator  ought  unquestionably  to  be  so  distinguished. 


RULE    XI. 

Qttotations,  Examples,  S$c. 

The  first  word  of  every  quotation,  example,  precept, 
or  question,  introduced  in  a  direct  form,  must  begin 
with  a  capital  letter ;  as,  — 

1.  Bushnell  well  remarks,  "  Hitherto,  the  love  of  passion  has  been  the 
central  fire  of  the  world's  literature." 

2.  These  two  questions,  "  What  are  we?  "  and  "Whither  do  we  tend?  " 
will  at  times  press  painfully  upon  thoughtful  minds. 

REMARKS. 

a.  When  a  quotation  is  introduced  by  the  conjunction  tfiat,  or  is 
brought  in  obliquely  or  indirectly,  a  small  letter  is  preferable;  as, 
"  It  is  well  said  by  a  celebrated  writer,  that, '  precious  as  thought  is, 
the  love  of  truth  is  still  more  precious.'"  —  "Happy  those  who, 

dying,  leave  no  line  they  wish  to  blot ' !  "  —  "  This  great  patriot 
bequeathed  to  his  heirs  the  sword  which  he  had  worn  in  the  war  for 
liberty,  and  charged  them  '  never  to  take  it  from  the  scabbard  but  in 
self-defence,  or  in  defence  of  their  country  and  her  freedom.'  " 

b.  Examples,  consisting  of  mere  words  or  phrases,  may  have 
small  letters  for  their  initials,  when  they  do  not  commence  new  lines, 
or  are  not  formally  introduced  with  the  words  "as  follows,"  or  with 
a  similar  expression.    Numerous  illustrations  of  this  remark  may  bo 
«een  in  pages  211-20. 


268  APPENDIX. 

RULE    XII. 

Capitals  used  instead  of  Figures. 

Numbers  are  sometimes  written  or  printed  wholly 
in  capitals,  as  representative  characters.  Thus,  — 

I.  is  used  instead  of  one,  or  first;  IV.  for  four,  or  fourth;  XI.  for  eleven, 
or  eleventh;  XX.  for  twenty,  or  twentieth;  XL.  for  forty,  or  fortieth;  &c. 

REMARKS. 

a.  Some  writers  refer  to  passages  in  books  by  putting  the  num 
bers  of  the  volume,  part,  chapter,  &c.,  in  capital  letters,  and  also  by 
capitalizing  the  first  letter  in  the  name  of  the  division  specified;  as, 
"  Campbell  on  the  Four  Gospels,  Vol.  I.  Diss.  V.  Part  IV.  Sect.  II. 
Page  218."  But,  when  such  references  are  numerous,  small  letters 
are  preferable,  because  they  have  a  neater  appearance ;  as,  "  Camp 
bell  on  the  Four  Gospels,  vol.  i.  diss.  v.  part  iv.  sect.  ii.  page  [or  p.] 
218." 

6.  For  the  punctuation,  see  pp.  150-1,  Rule  V.  and  Remarks. 

RULE    XIII. 

Titkpages,  Inscriptions,  S$c. 

Titlepages  of  books,  and  heads  of  chapters,  sections, 
articles,  &c.,  are,  with  some  few  exceptions,  put  entirely 
in  capitals.  Unless  very  long,  dedications  of  printed 
works,  and  inscriptions  on  monuments,  are  commonly 
distinguished  in  the  same  manner. 

REMARKS. 

a.  The  first  word  in  a  book  or  chapter  is  usually  put  in  small 
capitals,  with  the  exception  of  the  initial  letter,  which  should  have 
a  common-size  capital. 

b.  Capitals  or  small  capitals  are  also  used,  either  singly  or  other 
wise,  as  abbreviations  of  titles  and  other  words,  and  as  representative 
signs,  particularly  in  works  of  art  and  science,  such  as  chemistry, 
mechanics,  arithmetic,  grammar,  music,  &c.     Many  of  these  will  be 
exhibited  in  the  article  beginning  on  page  272. 


ITALIC    CHARACTERS.  269 

In  concluding  these  rules  and  remarks  on  the  use 
of  capitals,  we  would  suggest  that  authors  either  note 
accurately  and  consistently  the  words  which  they  mean 
to  be  so  distinguished,  or  allow  the  printer  to  exercise 
his  own  taste  and  judgment.  By  this  means,  not  only 
would  a  great  loss  of  time  be  saved  to  the  workman, 
but  the  work  itself  would  have  a  neater  and  more 
uniform  appearance. 

In  manuscript,  words  or  sentences  meant  to  be 
printed  in  CAPITALS  are  distinguished  by  having 
three  lines  drawn  under  them ;  in  SMALL  CAPITALS. 
by  two  lines ;  and  in  Italics,  by  one. 


II.  —  ITALIC  CHARACTERS. 

Characters  called  Italics,  and  printed  in  this  form, 
are  used  chiefly  to  point  out  emphatical  expressions,  or 
to  distinguish  foreign  words  and  phrases.  In  the  com 
mon  version  of  the  Scriptures,  however,  words  are  so 
printed  to  show  that  they  have  nothing  corresponding 
to  them  in  the  original  Hebrew  or  Greek,  but  were 
inserted  by  the  translators  to  complete  or  explain  the 
sense. 

It  is  quite  impracticable  to  lay  down  definite  and 
unvarying  rules  in  respect  to  all  the  circumstances 
under  which  it  is  proper  to  use  Italic  letters.  Their 
employment  was  at  one  time  exceedingly  common ;  all 
proper  names,  and  almost  all  words  of  more  than  ordi 
nary  significance,  having  been  written  or  printed  in  this 


270  APPENDIX. 

manner.  A  sparing  use  of  Italics  is,  however,  strongly 
recommended  to  authors  and  typographers ;  for  it  is 
obvious,  that,  as  there  are  in  composition  innumerable 
shades  and  degrees  of  emphasis,  a  prodigal  introduc 
tion  of  words  of  a  sloping  character  would  tend  rather 
to  confound  the  sense  and  perplex  the  reader,  than  to 
elucidate  the  meaning,  or  to  assist  in  discriminating 
the  relative  importance  which  should  be  attached  to 
different  sentiments. 

In  all  works,  however,  which  treat  of  matters  relat 
ing  to  science,  art,  or  language,  where  it  is  necessary 
to  adduce  words  and  phrases  in  illustration  of  certain 
principles,  or  to  employ  them  in  technical  senses,  the 
use  of  Italic  characters  is  indispensable.  In  the  pre 
sent  treatise,  it  will  be  seen  that  they  are  freely  and 
unavoidably  used. 


ni.  — TERMS  RELATING  TO  BOOKS. 

CAPTIONS  and  SUBHEADS  are  words  or  expressions 
that  stand  above  chapters,  sections,  and  paragraphs, 
for  the  purpose  of  indicating  their  contents.  SIDE- 
UEADS  are  of  a  similar  nature,  but  put  in  the  first  line 
of  the  paragraph  or  paragraphs  to  which  they  refer. 
RUNNING  TITLES  —  or,  as  they  are  sometimes  called, 
headlines  —  are  such  words  or  phrases  as  are  placed  at 
the  top  of  the  page.  All  these  are  printed  usually  in 
capital  or  small-capital  letters  ;  sometimes,  especially 
in  magazines,  in  Italics. 


TERMS    RELATING    TO    BOOKS.  271 

SIGNATURES  are  the  letters  of  the  alphabet,  used  by 
English  printers  in  the  foot-margin  of  certain  pages, 
as  a  guide  to  direct  the  bookbinder  in  arranging  and 
folding  the  sheets.  The  letter  B  is  put  at  the  bottom 
of  the  first  sheet  or  half-sheet  which  comes  immediately 
after  the  titlepage,  preface,  and  contents ;  C,  at  that 
of  the  second ;  and  so  on  throughout  the  alphabet,  with 
the  exception  of  J,  V,  and  W.  If  the  number  of  pages 
require  more  signatures  than  the  alphabet  will  indicate, 
the  letters  are  doubled  or  trebled,  or  a  numeral  is 
prefixed  to  them ;  as,  A  A,  B  B  ;  2  A,  2  B ;  3  A,  &c. 
Figures,  or  numeral  characters  (1,  1*  ;  2,  2*  ;  &c.), 
being  more  convenient  than  letters,  are  used  for  the 
same  purpose  by  American  printers.  But  in  catalogues, 
and  other  publications  in  which  figures  often  occur, 
capitals  or  small  capitals  are,  for  distinction's  sake, 
preferable. 


NAMES  OP  VARIOUS  SIZES  OF  BOOKS.  —  Folio 
denotes  a  sheet  of  paper  folded  into  two  leaves,  making 
four  pages ;  quarto,  or,  as  abbreviated,  4to  or  4°,  is  a 
sheet  divided  into  four  leaves,  or  eight  pages ;  octavo, 
8vo  or  8°,  a  sheet  into  eight  leaves,  or  sixteen  pages ; 
duodecimo,  12mo  or  12°,  a  sheet  into  twelve  leaves,  or 
twenty-four  pages.  So,  also,  sixteens,  16mo  or  16°; 
eighteens,  18mo  or  18°;  twenty-fours,  24mo  or  24°; 
thirty-twos,  32mo  or  32° ;  forty-eights,  48mo  or  48° ; 
sixty-fours,  G4mo  or  64°,  are  the  several  designations 
of  sheets  when  folded  into  sixteen,  eighteen,  twenty- 
four,  thirty-two,  forty-eight,  and  sixty-four  leaves ; 
making  each  twice  the  number  of  pages. 


272  APPENDIX. 


IV.  —  ABBREVIATIONS  AND  REPRESENTATIVE 
LETTERS. 


The  following  is  perhaps  the  largest  list  of  miscella 
neous  abbreviations  that  has  yet  been  published ;  but  its 
chief  value  consists  in  affording  to  writers  and  printers 
an  opportunity  of  selecting  those  modes  of  abbreviating 
words  which  seem  best  fitted  for  the  purposes  they 
may  have  in  view.  To  further  this  object,  the  com 
piler  has  presented  the  various  forms  in  which  any 
given  word  or  phrase  has  been  employed,  where  more 
than  one  has  been  in  use  ;  appending  a  dagger  (  f  )  to 
such  as  appear  unsuitable,  either  in  consequence  of 
their  being  already  employed  for  other  words,  because 
they  are  less  intelligible  than  they  should  be,  or  have 
but  slight  authority  for  their  adoption.  But  the  mark 
is  not  intended  to  imply,  that  these  should  never  be 
preferred  ;  for  cases  will  arise,  where,  from  the  connec 
tion  or  the  narrowness  of  the  printed  line,  it  may  be 
desirable  to  use  them.  To  those  abbreviations,  how 
ever,  which  are  regarded  as  unfit  to  appear  under  any 
circumstances,  but  which  are  used  by  some  writers,  he 
has  put  a  double  dagger  (  J  ). 

It  need  scarcely  be  said,  that  only  a  few  of  the 
abbreviations  here  exhibited  should  appear  in  ordinary 
composition.  But  they  are  very  serviceable  in  cata 
logues,  directories,  tabular  lists  of  articles,  and  family 
registers  ;  and  in  works  on  grammar,  lexicography, 


ABBREVIATIONS.  273 

arithmetic,  geography,  &c. ;  where  certain  terms  often 
occur,  and  their  full  spelling  would  impede  the  course 
of  a  reader,  or  swell  the  size  of  a  book.  There  are 
also  some  words  and  phrases,  which,  wherever  they 
may  occur,  whether  in  works  relating  to  science  and 
art  or  to  general  literature,  are  commonly  written  as 
abbreviations.  These  are  either  mostly  a  few  Latin 
words,  which,  without  being  Anglicized,  are  found  use 
ful  in  supplying  the  place  of  circumlocutions  in  the 
language ;  as,  fyc.,  instead  of  "  and  other  persons  "  or 
"  things  : "  or  they  are  titles  prefixed  to  proper  names  ; 
as,  "  Mr.  Richardson,  Dr.  Finlay,  Capt.  Jameson,"  &c. : 
or  are  terms  made  use  of  in  reference  to  passages  in 
books ;  as,  "  See  pp.  500,  seq. ;  and  comp.  sect.  6." 

When  referring,  in  notes  or  at  the  beginning  or  end 
of  extracts,  to  works  that  are  well  known,  it  is  usual 
to  abbreviate  the  longer  words  in  their  titles ;  as, 
"  Gibbon's  Hist,  of  the  Dec.  and  Fall  of  the  Rom. 
Emp.,  vol.  ii.  p.  288."  In  the  list  will  be  found  abbre 
viations  of  only  some  American  and  British  periodicals  ; 
for  it  would  be  a  vain  attempt  to  give  more  than  a  few 
specimens  of  the  abbreviations  adopted  in  the  names 
of  such  publications,  and  altogether  impossible  to  ex 
hibit  those  used  in  the  names  of  books  in  general. 
Indeed,  such  abbreviations  are  quite  too  much  in 
vogue ;  and  it  is  recommended,  that,  in  all  cases  where 
the  common  reader  is  supposed  to  be  unacquainted 
with  the  works  to  which  reference  is  made,  the  titles 
be  printed  in  full,  or  at  least  such  portions  as  will 
clearly  indicate  what  the  writer  intends.  In  treatises, 
however,  addressed  merely  to  the  learned  professions, 
it  may  be  sufficient  generally  to  indicate  authorities  by 

18 


274 


APPENDIX. 


the  first  letter  or  letters  in  each  word.  Copious  lists 
of  those  relating  to  botany,  la\v,  and  organic  remains, 
will  be  found  in  Savage's  "  Dictionary  of  the  Art  of 
Printing,"  pp.  59-81,  430-37,  and  548. 

When  the  names  of  the  books  of  Scripture  are  spe 
cified  with  chapter  and  verse,  they  should,  except  thoso 
of  but  one  syllable,  be  given  in  their  abbreviated  forms ; 
as,  "  Gen.  xlix.  26.  Matt.  vii.  28."  When  spoken  of 
without  reference  to  any  particular  passage,  the  names 
should  be  spilled  out;  as,  "The  Gospel  of  Matthew  is 
the  first  book  in  the  New  Testament." 

The  more  common  baptismal  names,  if  put  in  lists 
where  the  saving  of  room  is  an  object,  should  be  printed 
with  such  portions  as  will  lead  to  a  true  knowledge  of 
them.  They  may  all,  indeed,  be  severally  abbreviated 
with  only  the  initial  letter,  when  the  persons  whom 
they  represent  are  so  well  known  that  no  mistake  can 
readily  take  place,  or  when  it  is  deemed  of  little 
importance  whether  they  be  known  or  not.  But  in 
books  in  which  elegance  of  composition,  intelligibility 
of  sense,  or  uniformity  of  printing,  is  desirable,  the 
names  of  persons,  at  least  those  by  which  they  are 
commonly  designated,  ought  to  appear  in  full.  Names 
of  ladies  should,  if  possible,  be  so  given. 

Titles  of  eminent  men,  when  put  immediately  after 
their  names,  are  almost  universally  abbreviated ;  as, 
'*  Walter  Kinderhook,  D.D."  But,  when  the  titles  are 
predicated  of  persons,  they  are  better  written  in  full ; 
as,  "  The  Rev.  Joshua  Rankin  is  a  Doctor  of  Divinity ; 
and  Matthew  Finlayson,  Bachelor  of  Arts." 

To  preclude  mistakes,  the  names  of  cities,  towns,  and 
other  places,  should  not,  if  avoidable,  be  abbreviated. 


ABBREVIATIONS.  275 

The  names  of  states  and  kingdoms  should  also  be 
written  or  printed  in  full,  unless  they  occur  in  tabular 
matter  or  in  geographical  books  where  the  abbrevia 
tions  have  been  previously  explained ;  or  unless  they 
are  placed  immediately  after  the  names  of  cities,  &c. ; 
as,  "  There  being  a  Boston  in  England  as  well  as  in 
Massachusetts,  besides  several  others  in  the  United 
States,  be  careful  that,  in  addressing  any  letter  to  a 
place  bearing  that  name,  you  state  its  proper  destina 
tion,  and  say  either  *  Boston,  Eng. ; '  '  Boston,  Mass.  ; ' 
*  Boston,  N.Y.;'  or  *  Boston,  0. ;'  as  the  case  may 
require." 

With  the  exception  of  May,  June,  and  July,  and  per 
haps  also  March  and  April,  the  names  of  the  months 
should  be  abbreviated  when  they  stand  in  connection 
with  the  day  of  the  month ;  as,  "  Dec.  25,  1854."  In 
all  other  instances,  they  should,  if  possible,  be  spelled 
out ;  as,  "  Robert  Burns  was  born  in  the  month  of 
January,  1759." 

All  words  which,  when  abbreviated,  are  shortened 
only  by  one  letter,  should  be  written  or  printed  in  full. 
Jb.  for  "  Job,"  Jno.  for  "  John,"  and  dy.  for  "  day,"  are, 
obviously,  improper  and  unnecessary. 

The  usual  abbreviations  made  use  of  in  works  on 
chemistry  and  in  medical  prescriptions,  &c.,  will  be 
found  inserted  in  the  following  table ;  but  a  more  com 
plete  list  appears  in  Savage's  "  Dictionary  of  Printing," 
pp.  237-44,  481-84. 

Some  abbreviations  are  used  only  in  the  middle  of 
sentences,  and  begun  with  small  characters ;  others,  as 
the  initials  of  titles,  are  always  printed  in  capitals; 
while  others,  again,  appear  sometimes  with  initial  capi- 


276  APPENDIX. 

tals,  and  sometimes  with  initial  small  letters.  When 
there  are  two  modes  of  printing  them,  both  will  be 
found  exhibited  in  the  table,  that  the  eye  may  be  accus 
tomed  to  both  forms ;  but  the  mode  of  using  them  will 
depend  on  the  principles  laid  down  in  the  article  on 
capitals,  pp.  257-68. 

To  an  author  who  finds  it  necessary  to  adopt  abbre 
viations  not  in  common  use,  it  is  recommended  that  he 
present,  at  the  beginning  of  his  treatise,  a  list  of  all 
that  may  be  required  for  his  purpose,  with  the  requi 
site  explanations  ;  and  that,  if  at  all  practicable,  he 
preserve  the  same  forms  throughout  the  work. 

Contractions  formed  by  the  insertion  of  apostro 
phes  —  as,  Sup't  for  "  Superintendent,"  or  Veg'ta's  for 
"  Vegetables  "  —  are  altogether  excluded  from  the  fol 
lowing  list,  because  deemed  fit  to  be  used  only  in  cases 
of  extreme  necessity.  So,  also,  those  contractions  which 
sometimes  appear  at  the  foot  of  advertisements,  but 
which  are  not  meant  to  be  read  by  the  public ;  as, 
"isF&Tu&osMWThSattf;"  a  direction  which  would 
have  a  more  common-sense-like  appearance,  if  it  stood 
thus  :  "  i.F.&Tu.  &  o.M.W.Th.S.  t.f. ; "  and  be  better 
adapted  to  express  the  meaning,  —  "  To  be  inserted 
inside  on  Friday  and  Tuesday,  and  outside  on  Monday, 
Wednesday,  Thursday,  and  Saturday,  till  forbidden." 

As  the  exhibiting  of  Latin  abbreviations,  unless  used 
in  English  composition,  falls  not  within  the  scope  of 
the  present  work,  it  will  be  sufficient  merely  to  refer 
to  the  Latin  dictionaries  for  those  pertaining  to  the 
classics ;  and  to  Savage's  book,  already  mentioned, 
pp.  204  and  689-700,  for  such  as  are  used  in  Domes 
day-Book  and  in  the  old  Public  Records. 


ABBREVIATIONS. 


277 


ABBREVIATIONS  AND   CONTRACTIONS. 


A.  —  Five  hundred  (anc.). 

A.  —  Five  thousand  (anc.). 

A.  —  Augustus ;  Aulus. 

A.  — Accepted;  Answer. 

A.f  or  a.t  —  Adjective. 

A.  or  a.  —  Afternoon. 

A.f  a.f  or  ac.  —  Acre,  acres. 

A.  A.  P.  S.  —  American  Associa 
tion  for  the  Promotion  of  Sci 
ence. 

A.  A.  S.  —  Academics  Americana 
Sotius,  Fellow  of  the  American 
Academy  (of  Arts  and  Sci 
ences). 

A.A.S.S. — Americana  Antiqua- 
rianoR  Societatis  Socius,  Member 
of  the  American  Antiquarian 
Society. 

A.  B. — Ariium  Baccalaureus,  Ba 
chelor  of  Arts. 

Ab.  or  ab.  —  About. 

Abbr.  or  abbr.  —  Abbreviated. 

A.B.C.F.M.  —  American  Board 
of  Commissioners  for  Foreign 
Missions. 

Abl.  or  abl. ;  Ab.f  or  ab.f  —  Ab 
lative  (case). 

Abp.  or  Archb.f  —  Archbishop. 

Absol.  or  absol.  —  Absolute. 

A.C.  —  Ante  Christum,  before 
Christ. 

A.C.  —  Archchancellor. 

Ac.  or  ac.  —  Acre,  acres. 

Ace,  cr  ace. ;  Ac.f  or  ac.f  —  Ac 
cusative  (case). 

Acct.  or  acct.  —  Account. 

A.C.S. — American  Colonization 
Society. 


A.D.  —  Anno  Domini,  in  the  year 

of  our  Lord ;  Archduke. 
Ad  lib.  or  ad  lib.  —  Ad  libitum, 

at  pleasure. 

Adj.  or  adj.  —  Adjective. 
Adjt.  —  Adjutant. 
Adjt.-Gen.  —  Adjutant-General. 
Adm.  or  Adml.f  —  Admiral,  Ad 
miralty. 

Adm.  Co.  —  Admiralty  Court. 
Admr.  —  Administrator. 
Admx.  —  Administratrix. 
Ad  v.  or  ad  v.  —  Ad  valorem,  at 

the  value. 

Adv.  —  Advent;  Advocate. 
Adv.  or  adv.  —  Adverb. 
Mi.  or  »t. ;  jE.f  or  ae.f  —^Etatia. 

of  age,  aged. 
A.  &  F.  B.  S.  —  American  and 

Foreign  Bible  Society. 
A.F.f  or  A.  fir.  —  Firkin  of  ale. 
Af.  —  Africa. 
Ag.  —  Argentum  ( Silver). 
Agric.  —  Agriculture. 
Agt.  —  Agent. 
A.H.  —  Anno  Hegira,  in  the  year 

of  the  Hegira. 
A.  H.  M.  S.  —  American    Home 

Missionary  Society. 
Al.  —  Aluminum. 
Ala.  or  Al.f  —  Alabama. 
Aid.  —  Alderman  or  Aldermen. 
Alex.  —  Alexander. 
Alt.  or  alt.  —  Altitude. 
A.M.  —  Anno  mundi,  in  the  year 

of  the  world. 
A.M.  —  Artium  Magisler,  Master 

of  Arts. 


278 


AFPEND1X. 


A.M.,  A.M.  or  a.m.  —  Ante  meri 
diem,  before  noon,  morning. 

Ain.f  or  Amer.  —  America. 

Am.  or  Amer.t  —  American. 

Am.  Alma.  —  American  Alma 
nac. 

Am.  Inst.  of  Instruc.  —  American 
Institute  of  Instruction. 

Am.  Quar.  Obs.  —  American 
Quarterly  Observer. 

Am.  Quar.  Reg.  —  American 
Quarterly  Register. 

Am.  Quar.  Rev.  —  American 
Quarterly  Review. 

Amb.  —  Ambassador.          [tion. 

AMM.  —  Amalgama,  amalgama- 

Amst.  —  Amsterdam. 

An.  —  Anno,  in  the  year. 

An.  A.  C.  —  Anno  ante  Christum, 
in  the  year  before  Christ. 

Anal.  —  Analysis.  [zine. 

Anal.  Mag.  —  Analectic  Maga- 

Anat.  —  Anatomy. 

Anc.  or  anc. — Ancient,  anciently. 

And.  —  Andrew. 

Ang.-Sax.  —  Anglo-Saxon. 

Ann.  Reg.  —  Annual  Register. 

Anom.  or  anom.  —  Anomalous. 

Anon,  or  An.f  —  Anonymous. 

Ans.  —  Answer. 

Ant.  —  Antiquities. 

Anth.  —  Anthony. 

Antw.  —  Antwerp. 

Aor.  or  aor.  —  Aorist. 

A. 0. S.  S.  —  Americana  Orienta- 
lis  Societatis  Socius,  Member 
of  the  American  Oriental  So 
ciety. 

Ap.  —  Apostle;  Appius. 

ap.f  —  Apud,  in  the  writings  of; 
as  quoted  by. 

Ap.f  Apr  or  Apl.f  —  April. 


A.P.G.  or  Ast.  P.G.f  —  Professor 
of  Astronomy  in  Gresham  Col 
lege. 

Apo.  or  apo.  —  Apogee. 

Apoc.  —  Apocalypse. 

A.R.  —  Anna  Regina,  Queen 
Anne. 

A.R.  —  Anno  regni,  in  the  yeai 
of  the  reign. 

Ar.  or  ar. ;  Arr.f  or  arr.f  —  Ar 
rived,  arrivals. 

Arab.,  Ara.f  or  Ar.f  —  Arabic. 

Arch.  —  Archibald. 

Arch.  —  Architecture. 

Archb.f  —  Archbishop. 

Arith.  —  Arithmetic. 

Ark.  —  Arkansas. 

Arm.  —  Armoric ;  Armenian. 

A.  R.  R.  —  Anno  regni  regis,  in 
the  year  of  the  reign  of  the 
king. 

Arrond.  or  arrond. — Arrondisse- 
ment. 

A.R.S.S. — Antiquariorum  Regies 
Societatis  Socius,  Fellow  of  the 
Royal  Society  of  Antiquaries. 

Art.  or  art.  —  Article. 

As.  —  Arsenic. 

As.f  —  Asia. 

A.  S.  A.  —  American  Statistical 
Association. 

A.  S.  S.  U.  —  American  Sunday 
School  Union. 

Ass.J  Asst.f  or  Assist.  Sec. — As 
sistant  Secretary. 
|    Astrol.  —  Astrology. 
j    Astron.  —  Astronomy. 
|    A.T.  —  Archtreasurer. 
I    A.T.  S.  —  American  Temperance 

Society. 

j    A.  T.  S.  —  American  Tract  So- 
ci«ty. 


ABBREVIATIONS. 


270 


Att.  — Attic. 

Atty.  or  Att.f  —  Attorney. 

Atty.-Gen.  —  Attorney-General. 

Attys.  —  Attorneys. 

Au.  —  Aunes,  French  ells. 

Au.  —  Aurum  ( Gold). 

A.  U.  A.  —  American  Unitarian 
Association. 

Aub.  Theol.  Sem.  —  Auburn 
Theological  Seminary. 

A.U.C.  —  Anno  urbis  conditce,  in 
the  year  after  the  building  of 
the  city  (Rome). 

Aug.  —  August;  Augustus. 

Aust.  or  Austr.t  —  Austria,  Aus 
trian. 

Austral.  —  Australasia. 

Auth.  Ver.  —  Authorized  Ver 
sion  (of  the  Bible). 

Av.  or  av.f  —  Average ;  avenue. 

Avoir,  or  av.f  —  Avoirdupois. 

B.  —  Three  hundred  (anc.). 
B.  —  Three  thousand  (anc.). 
B.  —  Basso,  bass. 

B.  —  Boron. 

B.  or  b.;  Bk.f  or  bk.f  —  Book. 

B.  or  b.  —  Bay;  born. 

B. A.  —  Bachelor  of  Arts. 

B.A.  —  British  America. 

Ba.  —  Barium. 

Bail,  or  bail.  —  Bailiwick. 

Bal.  —  Balance.  [zine. 

Bank.  Mag.  —  Banker's  Maga- 

Bar.  —  Baruch. 

Bar.  or  bar.  —  Barleycorn. 

Bar.f  bbl4  or  bl.  —  Barrel. 

Bart,  or  Bt.f  —  Baronet. 

B.C.  —  Before  Christ. 

B.C.L.  —  Bachelor  of  Civil  Law. 

B.D.  —  Baccalaureus  Divinitalis, 

Bachelor  of  Divinity. 
Bd.  or  bd.  —  Bound 


Bds.  or  bds.  —  Boards  (bound  in). 
Benj.  or  Ben.f  —  Benjamin. 
Berks.  —  Berkshire. 
B.  &  L.  D.  —  Duke  of  Brunswick 

and  Luneburg. 

B.  F.  or  B.  fir.  —  Firkin  of  beer. 
Bi.  —  Bismuth. 

Bib.  Sac.  —  Bibliotheca  Sacra. 
Bk.  —  Bank. 
Bk.f  or  bk.f  —  Book. 
B.LL.  —  Baccalaureus    Legwi^ 

Bachelor  of  Laws. 
Bl.  or  bl.  —  Barrel.  frele. 

Bis.  or  bis. ;  Bbl.  or  bbl.  —  Bai- 
Blackw.    Mag.  —  Blackwood's 

Magazine. 
B.  M.  —  Baccalaureu*  Medicines, 

Bachelor  of  Medicine. 
B.M.  —  British  Mail. 
B.M.  —  British  Museum. 
Bor.  or  bor.  —  Borough. 
Bos.  —  Boston. 
Bot.  —  Botany. 
Bp.  —  Bishop. 
B.R.  —  Banco  Regis,  or  Regina, 

the  King's  or  Queen's  Bench. 
Br.  —  Bromine. 
Br.  or  br.  —  Brig. 
Br.  — Brother.    Brs.  —  Brothers. 
Braz.  —  Brazil. 
Brig.  —  Brigade ;  Brigadier. 
Brig.-Gen.  —  Brigadier-GeneraL 
Brit,  or  Br.f  —  British. 
Brit.  Alma.  —  British  Almanac 
Brit.  Grit.  —  British  Critic. 
Brit.  Mus.  —  British  Museum. 
Brit.  Quar.  Rev.  —  British  Quar- 

terly  Review. 
Brit,  and  For.  Rev.  —  British  and 

Foreign  Review. 
Bro.— Brother.    Bros.— Brother* 
Br.  Univ.  —  Brown  University 


280 


APPENDIX. 


Brus.  —  Brussels. 

Brux.  —  Bruxelles. 

Bt.f  —  Baronet. 

Bu.  or  bu. ;  Bush.f  or  bush.f  — 
Bushel,  bushels. 

Bucks.  —  Buckinghamshire. 

B.V.— Beata  Virgo,  Blessed  Vir 
gin. 

B.V.  —  Bene  vale,  farewell. 

G.  —  Caesar;  Caius. 

C.  —  Carbon. 

C.  —  A  hundred ;  a  century. 

C.  —  A  hundred  thousand  (anc.). 

CC.  —  Two  hundred. 

CCC.  —  Three  hundred. 

CCCC.t  or  CD. — Four  hundred. 

C.  or  c.  —  Cape. 

C.  or  c.  —  Centum,  a  hundred. 

C.  or  c.  —  Cent,  cents. 

C.  or  c.  —  Centime,  centimes. 

C.  or  c.  —  Coomb,  coombs. 

C.f  or  c.f;  Ch.J  or  ch.J;  Chap, 
or  chap.  —  Chapter,  chapters. 

C.f  or  c.f ;  Cor.  or  cor. — Corner. 

C.f  or  c.f ;  Cub.  or  cub. — Cubic. 

c.  — Childless. 

Ca.  —  Calcium. 

Caes.  Aug.  —  Caesar  Augustus. 

caet.  par.  —  Geteris paribus,  other 
things  being  equal. 

Cal.  —  Calendar,  the  Calends. 

Cal.  —  California. 

Cam.  —  Cambridge. 

Can.  —  Canada. 

Can.  or  can.  —  Canton  (a  portion 
of  territory). 

Cant.  —  Canticles. 

Cap.  or  cap.  —  Capital. 

Caps.  —  Capitals. 

Cap.  or  cap.  —  Caput,  capitulum, 
chapter. 

Capt.  —  Captain. 


Capt.-Gen.  —  Captain-GeneraL 

Car.  —  Carpentry. 

Car.  or  car.  —  Carat  or  carats, 

C.A.S.  —  Gmnecticuttensis  Aca- 
demice  Socius,  Fellow  of  the 
Connecticut  Academy. 

Cash.  —  Cashier. 

Cath.  — Catherine;  Catholic. 

C.B.  —  Cape  Breton. 

C.B.  —  Companion  of  the  Bath. 

C.  C.  —  Caius  College;  County 
Commissioner;  County  Court, 

C.C.J  —  Account  Current. 

C.C.C.  —  Corpus  Christi  College. 

CCIOO.  —  Ten  thousand. 

CCCIOOO.  — A  hundred  thou 
sand. 

C.  C.  P.  —  Court  of  Common 
Pleas. 

CD.  —  Four  hundred. 

Cd.  —  Cadmium. 

C.E.  —  Canada  East. 

C.E.  —  Civil  Engineer. 

Ce.  —  Cerium. 

Gel.  or  Celt.f  —  Celtic. 

Cen.  —  Century. 

Cent.  —  Centum,  a  hundred. 

Cf.  or  cf.  —  Confer,  compare, 

C.H.  —  Court-house. 

Ch.  —  China. 

Ch.J  or  ch.J— Chapter,  chapters. 

Ch.  or  ch.  —  Chain,  chains. 

Ch.  or  ch-  —  Child  or  children. 

Ch.  or  C.f  —  Church. 

Ch.  Ch.f  or  C.  Ch.  —  Christ 
Church. 

Ch.f  or  Chal.  —  Chaldee. 

Ch.f  or  ch.f ;  Chal.  or  chal.  — 
Chaldron  or  chaldrons. 

Chanc.  —  Chancellor.          [ters. 

Chap,  or  chap.  —  Chapter,  chap- 

Chas.  —  Charles. 


ABBREVIATIONS. 


281 


Chem.  —  Chemistry.  [ner. 

Chris.  Ex.  —  Christian  Exami- 
Chris.  Month.  Spec.  —  Christian 

Monthly  Spectator. 
Chris.  Quar.   Spec.  —  Christian 

Quarterly  Spectator. 
Chris.  Rev.  —  Christian  Review. 
Chron.  —  Chronicles. 
Chron.  —  Chronology. 
Chs.  —  Churches.  [sand. 

CIO.  (contracted,  M.).— A  thou- 
Cic.  —  Cicero. 
Circ.  —  Circle  or  circles. 
Cit.  —  Citizen. 
CJ.  —  Chief  Justice. 
C.J.C.  —  Caius  Julius  Caesar. 
Cl.  —  Chlorine. 
Cl.  —  Claudius ;  Clergyman. 
Cl.f  or  Clk.  —  Clerk. 
Cl.  Dom.  Com.  — Clerk  of  the 

House  of  Commons. 
Cld.  or  eld.  —  Cleared. 
CM.  —  Nine  hundred. 
Cn.  —  Cnaeus. 
Co.  —  Company;  Cobalt. 
Co.  or  co. ;  Cy. t  or  cy.f— County. 
Coch.  —  Cochleare,  a  spoonful. 
Col.  —  Colonel ;  Colossians. 
Col.  —  Column. 
Cold.f  or  cold.f  —  Colored. 
Coll.  —  Collector. 
Coll.  —  Golkga,  Colleague. 
Coll.  —  Collegium,  College. 
Com.  —  Commerce ;  Committee ; 

Commentary;  Commissioner; 

Commodore. 

Com.  or  com.  —  Commune. 
Comdg.  —  Commanding. 
Cora.  Arr.  —  Committee  of  Ar 
rangements. 
Comp.   or    comp.  —  Compare; 

compound. 


Compar.  or  compar. ;  Comp.f  or 
comp.f  —  Comparative. 

Com.  Ver.  —  Common  Version 
(of  the  Bible). 

Con.f  or  con.f ;  Conj.  or  conj.  — 
Conjunction. 

Con.  or  con.  —  Connective. 

Con.  —  Contra,  against,  in  oppo 
sition. 

Con.  Cr.  or  C.C.f  —  Contra  cre 
dit. 

Conch.  —  Conchology. 

Cong,  or  C.  —  Congress. 

Cong.  —  Congius,  a  gallon. 

Conj.  or  conj.  —  Conjunction. 

Conn,  or  Con.f  —  Connecticut. 

Const,  or  Cons. f  —  Constable  • 
Constitution. 

Contr.  or  contr.  —  Contraction. 

Cop.  —  Coptic. 

Cor.  —  Corinthians. 

Cor.  or  cor.  —  Corner. 

Corn.  —  Cornish. 

Corol.  —  Corollary. 

Cor.  Sec.  or  Secy.f  —  Corre 
sponding  Secretary. 

C.P.  —  Common  Pleas. 

C.P.  —  Court  of  Probate. 

C.  P.  S.  —  Gustos  Privati  Sigillt, 
Keeper  of  the  Privy  Seal. 

C.R.—  Carolus  Rex,  KingCharles. 

C.R.  —  Custos  Motulorum,  Keeper 
of  the  Rolls. 

C.  R.  P.  —  Calendarium  Rotulo- 
rum  Patentium,  Calendar  of 
the  Patent  Rolls. 

Cr.  —  Chromium. 

Cr.  — Creditor;  credit 

Crim.  Con.  —  Criminal  conver 
sation. 

Grit.  —  Criterion,  criteria. 

Grit.  Rev.  —  Critical  Review. 


282 


APPENDIX. 


C.S.  —  Court  of  Sessions. 

C.S.  —  Cuxtot  SiyiUi,  Keeper  of 
the  Seal. 

Ct.  —  Count. 

Ct.f  or  Conn.  —  Connecticut. 

Ct.  crct.  — Cent;  Court. 

Cts.  or  cts.  —  Cents. 

Cu.  —  Cuprum  (Copper). 

Cub.  or  cub.  —  Cubic. 

curt,  or  cur.f  —  Current. 

C.W.  _  Canada  West. 

Cwt.  or  cwt.  —  Hundred- weight. 

Cy.f  or  cy.f  —  County. 

Cyclo.  —  Cyclopedia. 

D.  —  Decius;  Dutch. 

D.  —  Didymium. 

D.  —  Five  hundred. 

D.  —  Five  hundred  thousand. 

D.  or  d.  —  Decirae,  decimes. 

D.  or  d.  —  Denarius,  a  penny. 

D.  or  d.  —  Denarii,  pence. 

D.  or  d.  —  Denier,  deniers. 

D.  or  d.  —  Died. 

D.f  or  d.f ;  Di.  or  di.  —  Dimes. 

D.f  or  d.f ;  Deg.  or  deg.  —  De 
gree  or  degrees. 

D.f  or  d.f;  Diam.  or  diain. — 
Diameter. 

D.  or  d.;  da.f  dy.J  —  Day,  days. 

da.f  or  dr.  —  Daughter. 

Dan.  — Daniel;  Danish. 

Dart.  —  Dartmouth. 

Dat.,  dat.  or  D.  —  Dative  (case). 

D.  B.  or  Domesd.  B.  —  Domes 
day-book. 

D.C Da  Capo,  again. 

D.C District  of  Columbia, 

D.C.L.  —  Doctor  of  Civil  Law. 

D.D.  —  Divinitatis  Doctor,  Doctor 
of  Divinity. 

Dea.  —  Deacon. 

Dec.—  December. 


Dec.  or  dec.  —  Declension. 
Dec.  or  dec.  —  Declination. 
Deg.  or  deg.  —  Degree,  degrees, 
Del.  —  Delaware ;  Delegate. 
Del.  or  del.  —  Delineavit,  drew. 
Dem.  —  Democrat,  Democratic. 
Dem.  or  dem.  —  Demonstrative 

(pronoun). 
Den.  —  Denmark. 
Dep.  —  Deputy. 
Dept.  or  dept. ;  Dep.f  or  dep.f  — 

Department. 
Deut.  —  Deuteronomy. 
D.F.  —  Dean  of  Faculty. 
Dft.  or  Deft.f  —  Defendant. 
D.G.  —  Dei  grati&i  by  the  grace 

of  God. 
D.G.  —  Deo  gr alias,  thanks  to 

God. 

Diana,  or  diam.  —  Diameter. 
Diet.  —  Dictator ;  Dictionary. 
Dim.  or  dim.  —  Diminutive. 
Dis.  or  dis.  —  Distance,  distant 
Disc,  or  disc. ;  Disct.f  or  disct.  ;f 

Dis.f  or  dis.f  —  Discount,. 
Diss.  or  diss.  —  Dissertation. 
Dist.  or  dist.  —  District. 
Dist.-Atty.  —  District- Attorney. 
Div.  —  Division. 
Div.  or  div.  —  Dividend. 
D.M.  —  Doctor  of  Music. 
Do.  or  do.  —  Ditto,  the  same. 
Doct.f  D.J  or  Dr.  —  Doctor. 
Dol.,  dol.,  or  doll.f  —  Dollar. 
Dols.  or  dols.  —  Dollars. 
D.O.M.  —  Deo  optimo  maximc. 

to  God,  the  best,  the  greatest. 
Dor.  —  Doric. 

Doz.  or  doz.  —  Dozen,  dozens. 
D.P.  —  Doctor  of  Philosophy. 
Dpt.  —  Deponent. 
Dr.  J  —  Dear. 


ABBREVIATIONS. 


283 


Dr.  — Debtor;  Doctor. 

Dr.  or  dr.  —  Dram,  drams. 

dr.  —  daughter. 

D.T.  —  Doctor  Theologies,  Doc 
tor  of  Divinity. 

Dub.  —  Dublin. 

Dub.  Univ.  Mag.  —  Dublin  Uni 
versity  Magazine. 

D.  V.  —  Deo  volente,  God  willing. 
Dwt.  or  dwt.  —  Pennyweight. 
Dy.J  or  d.  —  Day,  days. 

E.  —  Two  hundred  &  fifty  (etnc.). 
E.J  —  Earl. 

E.  (after  titles).  —  Edinburgh. 

E.  — Erbium;  East. 

E.  by  S.  —  East  by  south. 

E.  or  e.  —  Eagle,  eagles. 

E.  or  e.  —  Ecu,  ecus. 

ea.  —  Each. 

East.  Isl.  —  Eastern  Islands. 

E.B.  —  English  Bible  (common). 

Eben.  —  Ebenezer. 

Ecc.t  or  Eccles. — Ecclesiastical. 

Eccl.  —  Ecclesiastes. 

Ecclus. —  Ecclesiasticus. 

Eclec.  Mag.  —  Eclec.  Magazine. 

Eclec.  Rev.  —  Eclec.  Review. 

Ed.  —  Editor.      Eds.  —  Editors. 

Ed.f  or  ed.f  —  Edition. 

Edin.  or  Ed.f  —  Edinburgh. 

Edit,  or  edit.  —  Edition. 

Edm.  —  Edmund. 

Edw.  —  Edward. 

E.E.  —  Errors  excepted. 

E.E.  —  Ell  or  ells  English. 

E.  FL  —  Ell  or  ells  Flemish. 

E.  Fr.  —  Ell  or  ells  French. 

E.G.  J  or  E«  g- »  e.  g.  or  ex.  g.f  — 

Exempli  gratid,  for  example. 
Eg-t- Egypt. 
E.I.  —  East  Indie?. 
E.I.C.  —  East-India  Company. 


E.  I.  M.  Coll.  —  East-  India  Mili 
tary  College. 

Elec.  —  Electricity. 

Eliz.  —  Elizabeth. 

E.  Ion.  —  East  longitude. 

E.N.E.  —  East-north-east. 

Ency.  —  Encyclopedia. 

Eug.  —  England,  English. 

Engd.  or  engd.  —  Engraved. 

Ent.  —  Entomology. 

Ent.  or  ent.  —  Entrance,    [nary. 

Env.  Ext.  —  Envoy  Extraordi- 

Ep.  or  Epis.f  —  Epistle. 

Eph.  —  Ephesians ;  Ephraim. 

E.S.  —  Ell  or  ells  Scotch. 

E.S.E.  —  East-south-east. 

Esq.  —  Esquire. 

Esqs.  —  Esquires. 

Esth.  —  Esther. 

E.T.  —  English  Translation 

et  al.  —  Et  alibi,  and  elsewh  ere. 

et  al.  —  Et  alii,  and  others. 

et  seq.  —  Et  sequentia,  and  what 
follows. 

etc.f  or  &c.  —  Et  cceteri,  et  ccete- 
rce,  et  ccetera,  and  others ;  and 
so  forth. 

Eth.  —  Ethiopic. 

Evang.  —  Evangelical. 

Eve.f  or  eve.  ;t  Even,  or  even.  — 
Evening. 

Ex.  —  Example. 

Exc.  —  Excellency ;  Exception. 

Exch.  —  Exchequer. 

Exclam.  —  Exclamation. 

Exec,  or  Exr.f  —  Executor. 

Exec.  Com.  —  Executive  Com 
mittee. 

Execx.  —  Executrix. 

Exod.  or  Ex.f  —  Exodus. 

Exon.  D.  —  Exeter  Domesday, 
book. 


284 


APPENDIX. 


Ez.  —  Ezra. 

Ezd.  —  Ezdra. 

Ezek.  —  Ezekiel.     a  \ 

F.  —  Fluorine. 

F._  Forty  (anc.). 

F.  —  Forty  thousand  (anc). 

F.  or  f.  —  Feminine  (gender). 

p.  or  f.  _  Fiat,  let  it  be  made. 

p.  or  f.  —  Florin,  florins. 

F.f  f-t  Fr.  or  fr.—  Franc,  francs. 

F.f  or  f.  ;t  Ft.  or  ft.—  Foot,  feet. 

F.,  Fr.t  Fri.  or  Frid.f  —  Friday. 

Fa.f  Fl.f  Fla.  or  Flor.  — Florida. 

Fahr.  —  Fahrenheit. 

Far.  or  f.  —  Farthing,  farthings. 

P.A.S.  —  Fellow  of  the  Antiqua 
rian  Society. 

Fath.  or  fath.;  Fth-T  or  fth.f  — 
Fathom  or  fathoms. 

F.D.  —  Fidei  Defensor,  Defender 
of  the  Faith. 

F.f  or  Fl.  E.  —  Flemish  ell  or  ells. 

Fe.  —  Ferrum  (Iron). 

Feb.  —  February. 

Fern,  or  fern. ;  F.  or  f.— Feminine. 

ff.  —  The  Pandects. 

F.E.S.  —  Fellow  of  the  Entomo 
logical  Society. 

F.G.S.  —  Fellow  of  the  Geologi 
cal  Society. 

F.H.S.— Fellow  of  the  Horti 
cultural  Society. 

Fig.  or  fig.  —  Figure,  figures. 

Fig.  or  fig.  —  Figuratively. 

Fin.  —  Finland. 

Finn.  —  Finnish. 

Fir.  or  fir.  —  Firkin,  firkins. 

Fl.  or  fl.  —  Flourished. 

Fl.  E.  —  Flemish  ell  or  ells. 

Flor.  or  Fla.  —  Florida. 

F.L.S.  —  Fellow  of  the  Linnaean 
Society. 


F.  or  f.  m.  —  Fiat  mixtura,  let  a 
mixture  be  made. 

Fol.  or  fol. ;  Fo.f  or  fo.f ;  F.J  or 
f. j  _  Folio,  folios. 

For.  —  Foreign. 

For.  Quar.  Rev.  —  Foreign  Quar 
terly  Review. 

Fort.  —  Fortification. 

Fr.  —  France,  French. 

Fr.f  or  Fran.  —  Francis. 

Fr.  or  fr.  —  Franc,  francs. 

fr.  or  f.f  —  From. 

F.R.A.S.  —  Fellow  of  the  Royal 
Astronomical  Society. 

Fras.  Mag.  —  Eraser's  Magazine. 

Fr.  E.  —  French  ell  or  ells. 

Fred.  —  Frederic  or  Frederick. 

Freq.  or  freq.  —  Frequentative. 

F.R.G.S.  —  Fellow  of  the  Royal 
Geographical  Society. 

Fri.  —  Friday. 

F.R.S.  —  Fellow  of  the  Royal 
Society. 

F.R.S.  E.  —  Fellow  of  the  Royal 
Society,  Edinburgh. 

F.R.S.  L.  —  Fellow  of  the  Royal 
Society,  London. 

F.R.S.L.  —  Fellow  of  the  Royal 
Society  of  Literature. 

F.S.  A.  -—  Fellow  of  the  Society 
of  Arts. 

F.  or  f.  s.  a.  —  Fiat  secundum  ar- 
tem,  make  it  according  to  art. 

F.S.A.  E.  —  Fellow  of  the  Socie 
ty  of  Antiquaries,  Edinburgh. 

Ft.  or  ft.  —  Foot,  feet. 

Ft.  or  ft.  —  Fort. 

Fth.f  fth.f  —  Fathom,  fathoms. 

Fur.  or  fur.  —  Furlong,  furlongs. 

Fut.  or  fut.  —  Future  (tense). 

F.Z.S.  —  Fellow  of  the  Zoologi 
cal  Society. 


ABBREVIATIONS. 


285 


Q.  —  Four  hundred  (anc.). 

G.  —  Forty  thousand  (anc.). 

G.  — Gaius;  Gellius. 

G.  —  Glucinum ;  Genitive  (case). 

G.  or  g.  —  Guinea,  guineas. 

G.  or  g.  —  Gulf. 

G.J  Ger.  or  Germ.f  —  Germany, 
German. 

Ga.  or  Geo.  —  Georgia. 

Gal.  —  Galatians. 

Gal.  or  gal.  —  Gallon,  gallons. 

Gall.f  or  gall.t—  Gallon,  gallons. 

G.B.  —  Great  Britain. 

G.  C.  B.  —  Grand  Cross  of  the 
Bath. 

G.C.H.—  Grand  Cross  of  Hano 
ver. 

Gen.  —  General ;  Geneva. 

Gen.  —  Genesis  (Book  of). 

Gen.  or  gen.  —  Genitive  (case). 

Gent.  —  Gentleman. 

Gent.  Mag.  —  Gentleman's  Ma 
gazine. 

G.  gr.  or  g.  gr.  —  Great  gross. 

Geo.  — George;  Georgia. 

Geog.  or  Geo.f  —  Geography. 

Geol.  —  Geology. 

Geom.  —  Geometry. 

Ger.  —  Germany,  German. 

Ger.  or  ger.  —  Gerund. 

Gi.  or  gi.  —  Gill,  gills. 

Gib.  — •  Gibraltar. 

Glas.  —  Glasgow. 

Goth,  or  Go.f  —  Gothic. 

Gott.  —  Gottingen. 

Gov.  —  Governor. 

Gov.-Gen.  —  Governor-General. 

G.  R.  —  Georgiut    Hex,    King 
George. 

Gr.  —  Greek. 

Gr.  or  gr.  —  Grain,  grains. 

Gram.  —  Grammar. 


Griesb.  —  Griesbach. 

Gro.  or  gro.  —  Gross. 

Grot.  —  Grotius. 

Gtt.  or  gtt.  —  Gutta,  a  drop. 

Gtt.  or  gtt.  —  Guttee,  drops. 

Guin.  or  guin. — Guinea,  guineas, 

H.  —  Two  hundred  (anc.). 

H.  —  Two  hundred  thousand. 

H.  —  Hydrogen. 

H.  or  h.  —  Harbor,  height. 

H.  or  h.  —  Hour,  hours. 

h.  —  Husband. 

Hab.  —  Habakkuk. 

Hag.  —  Haggai. 

Ham.  Coll.  —  Hamilton  College 

Hants.  —  Hampshire. 

Harv.  or  Har.t  —  Harvard. 

H.B.C.— Hudson'sBayCompany. 

H.B.M.  —  His  or  Her  Britannic 

Majesty. 

Hdkf.  or  hdkf.  —  Handkerchief, 
h.e.  —  Hoc  est,  that  is,  or  this  is. 
Heb.  — Hebrew;  Hebrews. 
Hebr.f  — Hebrew;  Hebrews. 
H.E.I. C.  —  Honorable  East-India 

Company. 

Hep.  sulph.  —  Hepar  sulphuris. 
Her.  —  Heraldry. 
Hf.-bd.  or  hf.-bd.  —  Half-bound. 
Hg. —  Hydrargyrum  (Mercury). 
Hhd.  or  hhd.;  Hd.f  or  hd.f  — 

Hogshead,  hogsheads. 
Hil.  —  Hilary. 
Hind.  —  Hindostan. 
Hist.  —  History;  Historical. 
jj j.S.  —  Hicjacet  sepultus,  Hero 

lies  buried. 

H.M.  —  His  or  Her  Majesty. 
H.M.P.  —  Hoc  monumentum  po- 

suit,  erected  this  monument. 
H.M.S.—  His  or  Her  Majesty's 
I        Ship  or  Service. 


286 


APPENDIX. 


Hon.  —  Honorable. 

Hond.f  or  hond.f  —  Honoied. 

Hort.  —  Horticulture. 

Hos.  —  Hosea. 

H.P.  —  Half-pay. 

H.R. — House  of  Representatives. 

H.R.E.  —  Holy  Roman  Emperor. 

H.R  H.  —  His  Royal  Highness. 

H.R.I.P.  —  flic  requiescit  in  pace, 
Here  rests  in  peace. 

Hrs.f  or  hrs.  ;f  H.  or  h.  —  Hours. 

H.S.  —  Hie  situs,  Here  lies, 
hum.  or  humb.  —  Humble. 
Hund.  or  hund.;  Hun.t  hun.t  — 

Hundred,  hundreds. 
I.  —  Iodine. 

I.  —  One  thousand  (one.). 
I.  II.  III.—  One,  two,  three;  or 

first,  second,  third. 
I.f  Is.t  or  Isl.  —  Island. 
Ia.t  In.J  or  Ind.  —  Indiana. 
Ib.  or  ib. ;  Ibid.f  or  ibid.-f  —  Ibi 
dem,  in  the  same  place. 
10. t  (by  contraction,  D.).— -Five 

hundred. 

lOC.f  or  DC.  —  Six  hundred. 
lOCC.f  or  DCC.  —  Seven  hun 
dred. 
lOCCC.t   or   DCCC.  —  Eight 

hundred. 
lOCCCC.t  or  DCCCC.  —  Nine 

hundred. 

100.  _  Five  thousand. 
1000.  —  Fifty  thousand. 
Icel.  or  Ice.  f— Iceland,  Icelandic. 
Ich.  —  Ichthyology. 
Id.  or  id.  —  Idem,  eadem ;  iidem, 

eoedem,  the  same  (author  or 

authors). 

I.  e.  or  i.  e.  —  Id  est,  that  is. 
I.H.S.  —  Jesus  hominum  Salvator, 

Jesus,  the  Saviour  of  men. 


IHI.t  or  IV.  —  Four;  fourth. 

ij.  —  Two  (med,). 

111.  —  Illinois. 

Illus.  —  Illustration. 

Imp.  or  imp.  —  Imperial. 

Imper.  or  iniper.  —  Imperative 
(mood). 

Imperf.   or  imperf.;   Impf.t   or 
impf.f  — Imperfect  (tense). 

Impers.   or  impers.;    Imp.f   or 

imp.f  —  Impersonal  (verb). 
In.  or  in.  —  Inch,  inches. 
Inch.  —  Inchoative  (verb), 
incog.  —  Incognito,  unknown. 
Incor.  or  incor.  —  Incorporated. 
Ind.  —  India,  Indian ;  Indiana. 
Ind.  Ter.  —  Indian  Territory. 
Indef.  or  indef.  —  Indefinite. 
Indie,  or  indie. ;   Ind.f  or  ind.f 

—  Indicative  (mood). 

Infin.  or  infin.;  Inf.f  or  inf.| 

Infinitive  (mood), 
in  lim.  —  In  limine,  at  the  outset, 
in  loc.f  —  in  loco,  in  the  place; 

on  the  passage. 
I.N.R.I.  —  Jesus  Nazarenut,  Rex 

Judceorum,  Jesus  of  Nazareth, 

King  of  the  Jews. 
Iris.  —  Inspector. 
Ins.-Gen.  —  Inspector-General. 
Insep.  or  insep.  —  Inseparable, 
inst.  —  Instant,  of  this  month. 
Int.  or  int.  —  Interest. 
Inter),  or  interj.;  Int.f  or  int.f 

—  Interjection. 

in  trans.  —  In  transitu,  on  the 


lo.  —  Iowa. 

Ion.  —  Ionic. 

I.O.O.F.  —  Independent   Order 

of  Odd  Fellows. 
Ipecac.  —  Ipecacuanha. 


ABBREVIATIONS. 


287 


IT.  —  Iridium. 

Ir.  —  Irish. 

Ire.  or  Ir.f  —  Ireland. 

Irreg.  or  irreg.  —  Irregular. 

Jsa.  —  Isaiah. 

Isl.  or  isl.;  Is.t  is.f  I.f  —Island. 

It.  or  Ital.f  —  Italy. 

Ital.  or  It.f  —  Italian;  Italic. 

I  tin.  —  Itinerary. 

IV.  —  Four  or  fourth. 

IX.  —  Nine  or  ninth. 

J.  —  Judge;  Julius. 

j.  —  One  (mecL). 

J.  A.  —  Judge- Advocate. 

Jac.  —  Jacob. 

Jam.  —  Jamaica. 

Jan.  —  January. 

Jap.  —  Japan. 

Jas.  or  Ja.f— James. 

J.C.  —  Julius  Caesar. 

J.  C.  D.  —  Juris    Civilis  Doctor, 

Doctor  of  Civil  Law. 
J.D.  —  Jurum  Doctor,  Doctor  of 

Laws. 

Jer.  —  Jeremiah. 
J.H.S.  —  Jesus  hominwn  Salvator, 

Jesus,  the  Saviour  of  men. 
Jno.J  —  John. 
Jona.  —  Jonathan. 
Jos.  —  Joseph. 

Josh.  —  Joshua. 

Jour.  —  Journal. 

J.P.  —  Justice  of  the  Peace. 

J.  Prob.  —  Judge  of  Probate. 

J.K.  —  Jacobus  Rex,  King  James. 

Jr.f  jr.f;  Jun.  orjun. — Junior. 

J.U.D.  or  J.V.D.  —  Juris  utrius- 
que  Doctor,  Doctor  of  both 
Laws  (of  the  Canon  and  the 
Civil  Law). 

Jud.  —  Judith. 

Jndg.  — Judges 


Judge-Adv.  —  Judge- Advocate, 

Jul.  —  Julius. 

Jul4— July. 

Jul.  Per.  —  Julian  Period. 

Jun.J  —  June. 

Jun.  —  Junius. 

Jun.  or  jun.  —  Junior. 

Jus.  or  Just.t  —Justice. 

Jus.  P.  —  Justice  of  the  Peace. 

Just.  —  Justinian. 

K.  —  Kalium  (Potassium). 

K.  —  King. 

K.  —  Two  hundred  &  fifty  (anc. ). 

K.  —  Two    hundred    and    fifty 

thousand  (awe.). 
K.A.  —  Knight  of  St.  Andrew, 

in  Russia. 
K.A.N.  —  Knight  of  Alexander 

Newski,  in  Russia. 
Kan.  —  Kansas. 
K.B.  —  King's  Bench. 
K.B.  —  Knight  of  the  Batn. 
K.B.A.  —  Knight  of  St.  Bento 

d'Avis,  in  Portugal. 
K.B.E.  —  Knight  of  the  Black 

Eagle,  in  Prussia. 
K.C.  —  King's  Council. 
K.C.  —  Knight  of  the  Crescent, 

in  Turkey. 
K.  C.  B.  —  Knight  Commander 

of  the  Bath. 
K.  C.  H.  —  Knight  Commander 

of  Hanover. 
K.C.S.  —  Knight  of  Charles  III. 

of  Spain. 
K.E.  —  Knight  of  the  Elephant, 

in  Denmark. 

Ken.f  or  Ky.  —  Kentucky. 
K.F.  —  Knight  of  Ferdinand  of 

Spain. 

K.F.M.  —  Knight  of  St.  Ferdi 
nand  and  Merit,  in  Sicily. 


288 


APPENDIX. 


K.G.  —  Knight  of  the  Garter. 
K.G.C.  —  Knight  of  the  Grand 

Cross. 
K.G.C.B.  —  Knight  of  the  Grand 

Cross  of  the  Bath. 
K.G.F.  —  Knight  of  the  Golden 

Fleece,  in  Spain. 
K.G.H.  —  Knight  of  the  Guelph 

of  Hanover. 
K.G.V.  —  Knight  of  Gustavus 

Vasa  of  Sweden. 
K.H.  —  Knight  of  Hanover. 
Kil.  or  kil.  —  Kilderkin,  kilder 

kins. 
Kingd.  or  kingd.;  Km.|  or  km.f 

—  Kingdom. 

K J.  —  Knight  of  St.  Joachim. 
K.L.  or  K.L.A.  —  Knight  of  Leo 
pold  of  Austria. 
K.L.H.  —  Knight  of  the  Legion 

of  Honor. 

K.M.  —  Knight  of  Malta. 
Km.t  or  km.f  —  Kingdom. 
K.  Mess.  —  King's  Messenger. 
K.M.H.  —  Knight  of  Merit,  in 

Holstein. 
K.M.J.  —  Knight  of  Maximilian 

Joseph  of  Bavaria. 
K.M.T.  —  Knight  of  Maria  The 
resa  of  Austria. 
K.N.  —  Know  Nothing. 
Knick.  —  Knickerbocker. 
K.N.S.  —  Knight  of  the  Royal 

North  Star,  in  Sweden. 
Knt.,  Kt.f  or  K.f  —  Knight 
K.P.  —  Knight  of  St.  Patrick. 
K.R.E.  —  Knight  of  the  Red  Ea 

gle,  in  Prussia. 
K.S.  —  Knight  of  the  Sword,  in 

Sweden.  • 
K.S. A.—  Knight  of  St.  Anne  of 

Russia, 


K.S.E.  —  Knight  of  St.  Esprit, 
in  France. 

K.S.F.  —  Knight  of  St.  Fernando 
of  Spain. 

K.S.F.M.  —  Knight  of  St.  Ferdi 
nand  and  Merit,  in  Naples. 

K.S.G.— Knight  of  St.  Georgo 
of  Russia. 

K.S.H.  —  Knight  of  St.  Hubert 
of  Bavaria. 

K.S.J.  —  Knight  of  St.  Janua- 
rius  of  Naples. 

K.S.L.  —  Knight  of  the  Sun  and 
Lion,  in  Persia. 

K.  S.  M.  &  S.  G.  —  Knight  of  St. 
Michael  and  St.  George  of  the 
Ionian  Islands. 

K.S.P.  —  Knight  of  St.  Stanis 
laus  of  Poland. 

K.S.S.—  Knight  of  the  South 
ern  Star  of  the  Brazils. 

K.S.S.—  Knight  of  the  Sword, 
in  Sweden. 

K.S.W.—  Knight  of  St.  Wladi- 
mir  of  Russia. 

K.T.  —  Knight  of  the  Thistle. 

Kt.f  —  Knight. 

K.T.S.  —  Knight  of  the  Towei 
and  Sword,  in  Portugal. 

K.W.  — Knight  of  William  of 
the  Netherlands. 

K.W.E.  —  Knight  of  the  White 
Eagle,  in  Poland. 

Ky.  —  Kentucky. 

L.  —  Fifty  or  fiftieth. 

L.  —  Fifty  thousand  (anc.). 

L.  —  Latin ;  Lucius ;  Lithium. 

L.  (after  titles).. —  London. 

L.  or  1.  —  Lake ;  lane. 

L.  or  1.  —  Line,  lines ;  link,  links. 

L.f  or  1.  ;f  Lea.  or  lea. ;  Leag.f  ot 
leag.f  —  League,  leagues. 


ABBREVIATIONS. 


289 


L.  or  1.  ;   Lib.  or  lib.  —  Liber, 

book. 
L.J  or  1.  ;J  Lib.J  or  lib.  ;J  Lb.,  Ib. 

or  tt>.  —  Z,i6ra  or  libra,  pound 

or  pounds  in  weight. 
L.f  j£,  or  l.f  —  Libra  or  /t&ree, 

pound  or  pounds  sterling, 
i.a.  —  Lantanum. 
La.  or  Lou.t  —  Louisiana. 
Ladp.  —  Ladyship. 
Lara.  —  Lamentations. 
Lat.  —  Latin. 
Lat.  or  lat.  —  Latitude. 
Lb.,  Ib.  or  t> .  —  Pound  or  pounds 

weight. 

L.C.  —  Lord  Chancellor. 
L.C.  —  Lower  Canada. 
1.  c.  —  Loco  citato,  in  the  place 

cited. 

I.e.  —  Lowercase. 
L.C.J.  —  Lord  Chief  Justice. 
L.D.  —  Lady-Day. 
Ld.  or  L.f  —  Lord. 
Ldp.  or  Lp.f  —  Lordship. 
Lea.  or  lea.  —  League,  leagues. 
Leg.  —  Legate. 

Legis.  or  Leg.f  —  Legislature. 
Leip.  —  Leipzig  or  Leipsic. 
Lev.  —  Leviticus  ( Book  of). 
Leyd.  —  Leyden. 
L.I.  —  Long  Island. 
Li.  or  L.  —  Lithium. 
Lib.  —  Librarian. 
Lib.  or  lib.  —  Liber,  book. 
Lieut,  or  Lt.f  —  Lieutenant. 
Lieut.  Col.— Lieutenant-Colonel. 
Lieut  .-Gen.  —  Lieutenant-Gene- 

ral. 
Lieut.-Gov.  —   Lieutenant-Go 

vernor. 

Lit.  —  Literary. 
Lit  —  Literary  Magazine. 


Lit.  or  lit.  —  Literally. 

Liv.  or  Liverp.;  Lpool.f  or  Lpl.J 

—  Liverpool. 

Liv.  or  liv.  —  Livre,  livres. 
LL.B.  —  Legum  Baccalaureus 

Bachelor  of  Laws. 
LL.D.  —  LeywK  Doctor,  Doctor 

of  Laws. 
1.1.  —  Loco  laudato,  in  the  place 

quoted. 

L.N.E.S.  —  Ladies'  Negro  Edu 
cation  Society. 
Lon.  or  Ion. ;  Long.f  or  long.f  — 

Longitude. 

Lond.  or  Lon.f  —  London. 
Lou.f  —  Louisiana. 
L.P.  —  Large  paper. 
L.S.  —  Locus  sigitti,  place  of  the 

seal. 

L.S.  — Leftside. 
L.  s.  d.  —  Livres,  sous,  deniers. 
L.f  or  £,  s.  d.  —  Pounds,  shil 

lings,  pence. 
Lt.f  —  Lieutenant. 
Lt.  Inf.  —  Light  Infantry. 
LX.  —  Sixty  or  sixtieth. 
LXL.  —  Ninety  (anc.). 
LXX.  —  Seventy  or  seventieth. 
LXX.— The  Septuagmt(  Version 

of  the  Old  Testament). 
LXXX.  —  Eighty  or  eightieth. 
M.  —  Mille,  a  thousand. 
M.  —  Million. 
M.  —  Manlius;  Marcus. 
j    M.  —  Martius ;  Mutius. 
M.  or  Mon.  —  Monday. 
M.  or  Mons.  —  Monsieur. 
M.f  or  Marq.  —  Marquis. 
M.  or  m.  —  Manipulus,  handful. 
M.  or  m.  — Mensura,  by  measure. 
M.  or  m.  —  Mixtura,  a  mixture. 
M.  or  m.  —  Mix. 


290 


APPENDIX. 


M.  or  m.  —  Mile,  miles. 

M.  f  M.  or  m.  —  Meridies,  noon. 

M.  or  m. ;  Mas.f  or  mas.  ;f  Muse, 
or  raasc. — Masculine  (gender). 

M.f  or  m.  ;f  Mi.  or  Mi.  —  Mill, 
mills. 

M.  or  m. ;  Min.  or  min.  —  Mi 
nute,  minutes. 

M.f  m.;f  Mo.  or  mo.  —  Month, 
months. 

m.  —  Married. 

M.  A.  —  Master  of  Arts. 

M.A.  —  Military  Academy. 

Ma.  —  Minnesota. 

Ma.  or  Mg.  —  Magnesium. 

Mace,  or  Mac.f  —  Maccabees. 

Mad.  —  Madam. 

Mad.  —  Madrid.  [sity. 

Mad.  Univ.  —  Madison  Univer- 

Mag.  —  Magazine. 

Maj.  —  Major. 

Maj.  Gen.  —  Major-General. 

Mai.  —  Malachi. 

M.A.L.A.  —  Mechanic  Appren 
tices'  Library  Association. 

Mam.  —  Mamercus. 

Man.  —  Manasses  (Book  of). 

Manch.  —  Manchester. 

Mar.f  —  March. 

March.  —  Marchioness. 

Marg.  Tran.  —  Marginal  Trans 
lation. 

Marq.  —  Marquis. 

Masc.  or  masc.  —  Masculine. 

Mass,  or  Ms.f  —  Massachusetts. 

Math.  —  Mathematics;  Mathe 
matician. 

Matt,  or  Mat.f  —  Matthew. 

M.B.  —  Medicince  Baccalaureut, 
Bachelor  of  Medicine. 

M.B.  —  Musica    Baccaiaureus, 
Bachelor  of  Music. 


M.C.  —  Master-Commandant. 

M.C.  —  Member  of  Congress. 

M.D.  —  Medicines  Doctor,  Doctor 
of  Medicine. 

Md.  —  Maryland. 

Mdlle.  or  Mlle.f  —  Mademoiselle. 

Me.  —  Maine. 

Meas.  —  Measure. 

Mech.  —  Mechanics. 

Med.  —  Medicine. 

Med.  or  med.  —  Medical. 

Mem.  —  Memento,  remember. 

Mem.  —  Memorandum,  Memo 
randa. 

Merc.  —  Mercury. 

Messrs,  or  MM.f  —  Messieurs, 
Gentlemen. 

Met.  —  Metaphysics. 

Metaph.  —  Metaphor,      [rically 

Metaph.  or  metaph.  —  Metapho- 

Meteor.  —  Meteorology. 

Meth.  -—  Methodist. 

Mex.  —  Mexico  or  Mexican. 

Mg.  —  Magnesium. 

M.-Goth.  —  Moeso-Gothic. 

M.H.S.  —  Massachusetts  Histo 
rical  Society. 

M.H.S.  —  Member  of  the  Histo 
rical  Society. 

Mi.  or  mi.  —  Mill,  mills. 

Mic.  —  Micah. 

Mich.  —  Michael ;  Michaelmas. 

Mich.  —  Michigan. 

Mid.  —  Midshipman. 

Mid.  or  mid.  —  Middle  (voice). 

Mil.  —  Military. 

Min.  —  Mineralogy. 

Min.  or  min.  —  Minute,  minutes. 

Min.  Plen.  —  Minister  Plenipo 
tentiary. 

Miss,  or  Mi.f  —  Mississippi. 

Miss.  Sta.  —  Missionary  Statioa 


ABBREVIATIONS. 


291 


M.  L.  A.  —  Mercantile   Library 

Association. 
Mls.l  or  rals.f  — Mills. 
MM.f  —  Messieurs,  Gentlemen. 
MM.  —  Two  thousand. 
Mme.  —  Madame. 
M.M.S. —  Moravian  Missionary 

Society. 
M.  M.  S.  S.  —  Massackusettensis 

Afedicince      Societatis      Swiiis, 

Fellow  of  the  Massachusetts 

Medical  Society. 
Mn.  —  Manganese. 
Mo.  —  Missouri. 
Mo.  —  Molybdenum. 
Mo.  or  mo.  —  Month,  months. 
Mob.  —  Mobile. 
Mod.  —  Modern. 
Mon.  —  Monday. 
MODS.  —  Monsieur,  Sir. 
Morn,  or  morn.  —  Morning. 
M.P.  —  Member  of  Parliament. 
M.P.  —  Member  of  Police. 
Mr.  —  Mister. 
M.  Pv.  A.  S.  —  Member  of  the  Royal 

Asiatic  Society. 
M.R.C.S.  — Member  of  the  Royal 

College  of  Surgeons. 
M.  R.  I.  —  Member  of  the  Royal 

Institution. 
M.R.I.  A.  —  Member  of  the  Royal 

Irish  Academy. 
Mrs.  —  Mistress. 
M.R.S.L.  — Member  of  the  Royal 

Society  of  Literature. 
M.S.  —  Memorue  sacrum,  Sacred 

to  the  memory. 
M.S.  — Mood-stem. 
MS.    —  Manuscriptum,     Manu 
script.     MSS.  —  Manuscripts. 
Ms.f  —  Massachusetts. 
Bit.  —  Mount  or  mountain. 


M.T.C.  or  M.  Tull.  Cic.  —  Mar 
cus  Tullius  Cicero. 

Mus.  —  Museum ;  Music. 

Mus.  D.  —  Doctor  of  Music. 

M.W.  — Most  Worthy. 

M.W.S.  —  Member  of  the  Wer- 
nerian  Society. 

Myth.  —  Mythology. 

N.  —  Nine  hundred  (one.). 

N.  —  Nine  thousand  (anc.). 

N.  —  Nitrogen;  Norti.. 

N.,  Nom.  or  nom.  —  Nominative. 

N.  or  n.  —  Name,  noun. 

N.  or  n. ;  Neut.  or  neut.— Neuter. 

N.  or  n.  —  Note,  notes. 

N.f  n.  ;f  Na.  or  na.  —  Nail,  nails. 

N.J  or  n. ;J  No.  —  Number. 

n.  —  Near. 

N.A.  or  N.  Am.f  —  North  Ame 
rica,  North  American. 

Na.  —  Natrium  (Sodium). 
1  Na.  or  na.  —  Nail,  nails. 

Nah.  —  Nahum. 

Nat.  —  National ;  Natural. 

Nath.  —  Nathanael  or  Nathaniel. 

Naut.  —  Nautical. 

N.B.  — New  Brunswick. 

N.B.  — North  Britain. 

N.B.  —  Nota  bene,  mark  well. 

N.  Brit.  Rev.  —  North -British 
Review. 

N.C.f  — New  Church. 

N.C.  —  North  Carolina. 

N.E.  —  New  England. 

N.E.  —  North-east. 

Neb.  —  Nebraska. 

N.  Eng. —  New-Englander  (pub.) 

Neh.  —  Nehemiah. 

nem.  con.  or  nem.  diss.  —  Ne- 
mine  contradicente,  or  nemine 
dissenliente ;  no  one  opposing, 
unanimously. 


292 


APPENDIX. 


Neth.  —  Netherlands. 
Neut.  or  neut — Neuter  (gender). 
New  Test,  or  N.  T.  —  New  Tes 
tament. 

N.F.  —  Newfoundland. 
N.H.  —  New  Hampshire. 
N  H.H.S.  —  New -Hampshire 

Historical  Society. 
Ni.  or  Nk.  —  Nickle. 
N.J.  —  New  Jersey. 
N.L.  or  N.  lat.  —  North  latitude. 
N.  1.  or  n.  1.  —  Non  liquet,  it  does 

not  appear. 
Nl.f  ornl.f  — Nail. 
Nls.f  or  nls.f  —  Nails. 
N.M.  —  New  Mexico. 
N.N.E.  —  North-north-east. 
N.N.  W.  —  North-north-west. 
N.O.  — New  Orleans. 
No.  or  no.J  —  Numero  or  nombre, 

number.      Nos.  —  Numbers. 
Nom.  or  nom.  —  Nominative. 
Nov.  —  November. 
N.I'.  —  New  Providence. 
N.P.  — Notary  Public. 
N.S.  —  New  Style  (after  1752). 
N.S.  — Nova  Scotia. 
N.T.  — New  Testament, 
n.u.  —  Name  or  names  unknown. 
Num.  —  Numeral. 
Num.   or   Numb.f  —  Numbers 

(Book  of). 

Numer.  —  Numerator. 
Nux  vom.  —  Nux  vomica. 
N.  V.M.  —  Nativity  of  the  Virgin 

Mary. 

N.W.  — North-west. 
N.Y.  — Nsw  York. 
N.Y.H.S. -New-York  Historical 

Society. 

N.Y.  Rev.  — New- York  Review. 
N.  Zeal.  — New  Zealand. 


0.  —  Ohio. 

0.  —  Eleven  (anc.). 

0.  —  Eleven  thousand  (aitC.). 

0.  —  Oxygen. 

08,  30f,  or  OOOf.  —  Three 
atoms  of  oxygen. 

Ob.  or  ob.  —  Obiit,  he  or  she  died. 

Obad.  —  Obadiah. 

Obj.  or  ob.f  —  Objection. 

Obj.  or  ob.f  —  Objective  (case). 

Obs.  —  Observation. 

Obs.  —  Observatory. 

Obs.  or  obs.  —  Obsolete. 

Obt.f  or  obedt.  —  Obedient 

Oct.  —  October. 

O.K.  — Odd  Fellow,  or  Odd  Fel 
lows. 

Old  Test,  or  O.T.  —  Old  Testa 
ment. 

Olym.  —  Olympiad. 

Op.  or  op.  —  Opposite. 

Opt.  —  Optics. 

Opt.  or  opt. ;  Optatf  or  optatf 
—  Optative  (mood). 

Or.  —  Oregon. 

Ord.  —  Ordinary. 

Ornith.  —  Ornithology. 

O.S.  —  Old  Style  (before  1752). 

Os.  —  Osmium. 

O.T.  —  Oregon  Territory. 

O.T.  —  Old  Testament. 

O.U.A.  —  Order  of  United  Ame 
ricans. 

Oxf.  —  Oxford. 

Oxon.  —  Oxonia,  Oxonii,  Oxford. 

Oz.  or  oz.  —  Ounce,  ounces. 

P.  or  G.  —  Four  hundred  (anc.). 

P.  —  Four  hundred  thousand. 

P.  —  Phosphorus. 

P.  —  Publius. 

P.f  or  p.  —  PagQ« 

P.  or  p.  —  Pint,  pints ;  pole,  poles. 


ABBREVIATIONS. 


P  or  p. — Particula  or  pugittus, 
what  is  taken  between  the 
fingers. 

I'  .t  or  p.  ;f  Part,  or  part.  —  Par 
ticiple. 

P.f  p.  ;t  Pi.  or  pi.  —  Pipe,  pipes. 

P.f  Pop.  or  pop.  —  Population. 

P.A.  or  p.a.  —  Participial  adjec 
tive. 

Pa.t  or  Penn.  —  Pennsylvania. 

P. JE.  or  p.  seq.  —  Partes  (equates, 
equal  parts. 

Pal.  —  Palestine. 

Pamph.  —  Pamphleteer. 

Par.  —  Paragraph. 

Par.  or  par.  —  Parish. 

Par.  Pas.  —  Parallel  passage  or 
passages. 

Parl.  —  Parliament. 

Parl.  or  parl.  —  Parliamentary. 

Part,  or  part.  —  Participle. 

Partic.  or  partic.  —  Particle. 

Pash.  or  pash.  —  Pashalic. 

Pass.  —  Passive  (voice). 

Payt.  —  Payment. 

I»b.  —  Plumbum  (Lead). 

1'.  C.  —  Patres  Qmscripti,  Con 
script  Fathers ;  Senators. 

P.O.  —  Privy  Counsellor. 

Pd.  —  Palladium. 

Pd.  or  pd.  —  Paid. 

P.E.I.  —  Prince  Edward  Island. 

Pen.  or  pen.  —  Peninsula. 

Penn.  —  Pennsylvania. 

Pent.  —  Pentecost. 

Per.  —  Persia  or  Persian. 

per  an. — Per  annum,  by  the  year. 

per  ct.f  or  per  cent.  —  Per  cen 
tum,  by  the  hundred. 

Perf.  or  perf.;  Pf.|  or  pf.f  — 
Perfect  (tense). 

Peri.  —  Perigee. 


Pers.  or  pers.  —  Person. 

Pers.  or  pers.  pron.  —  Personal 
pronoun. 

Persp.  —  Perspective. 

Pet.  —  Peter. 

Pf.t  or  pf.f  —  Perfect  (tense). 

Ph.  D.  or  P.  D.f  —  Philosophic 
Doctor,  Doctor  of  Philosophy. 

Phil.  —  Philip ;  Philippians. 

Phil.  —  Philosophy. 

Phil,  or  phil.  —  Philosophically. 

Phila.  or  Phil.f  —  Philadelphia, 

Philem.  —  Philemon. 

Phil.  Mag.  —  Philosophical  Ma 
gazine. 

Philom.  —  Philomaihes,  a  lover 
of  learning. 

Philomath.  —  Philomathematicus, 
a  lover  of  mathematics. 

Phil.  Trans.  —  Philosophical 
Transactions. 

Phosph.  —  Phosphorus. 

Phren.  —  Phrenology. 

P.H.S.  —  Pennsylvania  Histori 
cal  Society. 

Pi.  or  pi.  —  Pipe,  pipes. 

Pinx.  or  pxt.f  —  Pinxii,  painted. 

Pk.  or  pk.  —  Peck. 

Pks.  or  pks.  —  Pecks. 

PI.  or  pi.  —  Place. 

PI.  or  pi.  —  Plate  or  plates. 

PL  or  pi. ;  Plur.  or  plur.—  Plural. 

PI.  or  Pt.f  —  Platinum. 

Plup.  or  plup. ;  Plupf.f  or  plupf.  f 
—  Pluperfect. 

Plff.  —  Plaintiff. 

Plur.  or  piur.  —  Plural. 

P.M.  —  Postmaster. 

P.M.  —  Passed  Midshipman. 

P.M.f  P-M.  or  p.m.  —  Post  meri 
diem,  afternoon,  evening. 

P  M.G.  —  Postmaster-General. 


294 


APPENDIX. 


p.M.G. —  Professor  of  Music  in 
Gresham  College. 

P.O.  —  Post-Office. 

Poet,  or  poet.  —  Poetically. 

Pop.  or  pop.  —  Population. 

Port.  —  Portugal  or  Portuguese. 

Posit,  or  posit.  —  Positive. 

Pot.  or  pot.  —  Pottle,  pottles. 

P.P.  —  Pulvia  patrum,  the  Je- 
suits'-bark  in  powder. 

P.P.G.  —  Pour  prendre  congt, 
to  take  leave. 

Pp.  or  pp.  —  Pages. 

P.  p.  or  p.  p.  —  Past  participle. 

P.  pr.  or  p.  pr.  —  Participle  pre 
sent. 

Ppt.  or  ppt.  —  Prceparatus,  pre 
pared. 

P.  K.  —  Populus  Romanus,  the 
Roman  people. 

P.  R.  — Porto  Rico. 

pr.  J  —  .Per,  by  the. 

Pr.  or  pr.  —  Pronounce. 

Pr.f  or  pr.t  —  Province. 

Pr.f  or  pr.f ;  Pron.  or  pron.  — 
Pronoun. 

Pr.f  or  pr.;f  Pret.  or  pret. — 
Preterite  (tense). 

Pr.  p.  or  pr.  p.  —  Present  parti 
ciple. 

P.R.  A.  —  President  of  the  Royal 
Academy. 

Pref.  —  Preface. 

Prep,  or  prep.  —  Preposition. 

Pres.  or  pres.  —  Present  (tense). 

Pres.  —  President. 

Presid.  —  Presidency. 

Pret.  —  Preterite  (tense). 

Prim,  or  prim.  —  Primary. 

Prob.  —  Problem. 

Prof.  —  Professor. 

Pron.  or  pron.  —  Pronoun. 


[  Pron.  or  pron.  adj.  —  Pronomi 
nal  adjective. 

Prop.  —  Proposition. 

Prot.  —  Protestant. 

Pro  tern.  —  Pro  tempr/re,  for  the 
time  being. 

Prov.  —  Proverbs ;  Provost. 

Prov.  or  prov.  —  Province. 

prox.  —  Proximo,  next  (month). 

Prp.f  or  prp.f  —  Preposition. 

P.R.S.  —  President  of  the  Royal 
Society. 

Prus.  —  Prussia  or  Prussian. 

P.S.  —  Participle-stem. 

P.S.  —  Post  scriptum,  Postscript , 

P.  S.  — Privy  Seal. 

Ps.  —  Psalm  or  Psalms. 

P.T.  or  p.  t.  —  Post-town. 

Pt.f  —  Platinum. 

Pt.  or  pt.  —  Part ;  port ;  point. 

Pt.  or  pt.  —  Pint. 

Pts.  or  pts.  —  Pints. 

P.  Th.  G.  -  Professor  of  Theo 
logy  in  Gresham  College. 

P.  V.  or  p.v.  —  Post-village. 

Pub.  —  Publisher;  Publication; 
published. 

Pub.  Doc.  —  Public  Documents. 

Puls.  —  Pulsatilla. 

Pun.  or  pun.  —  Puncheon  .•  pun 
cheons. 

Pwt.  or  pwt.  —  Pennyweight, 
pennyweights. 

Q.  —  Five  hundred  (anc.). 

Q.  —  Five  hundred  thousand. 

Q.  —  Quintus ;  Quintius. 

Q.  —  Queen. 

Q.,  Ques.  or  Quest,  f  —  Question. 

Q.  or  q. —  Quadrant,  a  farthing; 
quadrantes,  farthings. 

Q. J  or  q.J  Qu.f  or  qu.  ;f  Qy.  or 
qy.  —  Queer e,  inquire;  query. 


ABBREVIATIONS. 


295 


4.  —  Quaff,  as  it  were. 

Q.B.  —  Queen's  Bench. 

Q.C.  —  Queen's  College. 

Q.C. —  Queen's  Counsel. 

Q.  d.  or  q.  d.  —  Quasi  dicat,  as  if 
he  should  say ;  quasi  dictum,  as 
if  said ;  quasi  dixisset,  as  if  he 
had  said. 

Q.E.  or  q.e.  —  Quod  est,  which  is. 

Q.E.D.  —  Quod  erat  demonstran 
dum^  which  was  to  be  proved. 

Q.E.F.  —  Quod  erat  faciendum, 
which  was  to  be  done. 

q.  1.  —  Quantum  libet,  as  much  as 
you  please. 

Q.  Mess.  —  Queen's  Messenger. 

Qm.  or  qm.  —  Quomodo,  how,  by 
what  means. 

q.  p.  or  q.  pi.  —  Quantum  placet, 
as  much  as  you  please. 

Qr.  or  qr.  —  Quarter. 

Qrs.  or  qrs.  —  Quarters. 

Q.S.  —  Quarter  Sessions. 

q.  s.  —  Quantum  sufficit,  a  suffi 
cient  quantity. 

Qt.  or  qt.  —  Quart. 

Qts.  or  qts.  —  Quarts. 

Quar.  or  Qu.f  —  Quarterly. 

Ques.  —  Question. 

Quint.  —  Quintilius. 

q.  v.  —  Quantum  vis,  as  much  as 
you  will. 

q.  v.  —  Quod  vide,  which  see. 

Qy.  or  qy.  —  Query. 

R.  — Eighty  (one.). 

B.  —  Eighty  thousand  (anc.). 

R.  —  Recipe,  take. 

R.  —  Regina,  Queen. 

R.  —  Rex,  King. 

R.  —  Rhodium. 

R.J  or  Rem. — Remark,  Remarks. 

B.f  or  Russ.  —  Russia,  Russian. 


R.  or  r.  —  River. 

R.  or  r.  —  Rod,  rods. 

R.  or  r.  —  Rood,  roods. 

R.f  or  r.J  —  Rule. 

r.  —  Resides;  retired;  rises. 

R.A.  —  Royal  Academy. 

R.A.  —  Royal  Academician. 

R.A.  —  Royal  Arch. 

R.A.  —  Royal  Artillery. 

R.A.  —  Russian  America. 

Rad.  —  Radical. 

Rd.f  or  rd.f  —  Rod;  rood. 

R.E.  —  Royal  Engineers. 

Re.  or  re.  —  Removed. 

Rec.  —  Recipe. 

Reed.  —  Received. 

Recpt.J  —  Receipt. 

Rec.  Sec.  or  Secy.f  —  Recording 

Secretary. 
Rect.  —  Rector. 

Ref.  —  Reformation ;  Reformed. 
Ref.  Ch.  —  Reformed  Church. 
Ref.  or  ref.  —  Reference. 
Reg.  —  Register,  Registry. 
Reg.  Prof.  —  Regius  Professor. 
Regr.  —  Registrar. 
Regt.  —  Regiment. 
Rel.  or  rel.  pron. ;  Rel.  or  rel.  pr.f 

—  Relative  pronoun. 
Rem.  —  Remark  or  remarks. 
Rep.  —  Reporter. 
Rep.  —  Representative. 
Repub.  or  Rep.f  —  Republic. 
Rev.  —  Reverend ;  Revelation. 
Rev.  —  Review. 
Rhet.  —  Rhetoric. 
R.I.  —  Rhode  Island. 
R.I.H.S.  —  Rhode-Island  Histo 

rical  Society. 
Richd.  —  Richard. 
R.M.  —  Royal  Marines. 
R,N.  —  Royal  Navy. 


296 


APPENDIX. 


R.N.O. — Riddare  of  Nor  dstj erne, 

Knight  of  the   Order  of  the 

Polar  Star. 

Ro.  —  Recto,  right-hand  page. 
Robt.  —  Robert. 
Rom.  —  Romans  (Book  of). 
Rom.  Cath.  —  Roman  Catholic. 
R.  P.  —  Regius  Professor,    the 

King's  Professor. 
R.P. — Respublica,  Republic. 
R.R.  —  Kailroad. 
R.S.  — Right  side. 
R.S.S.  —  Regies  Soctetatts  Socius, 

Fellow  of  the  Royal  Society. 
Rt.  Hon.  —  Right  Honorable. 
Rt.  Rev.  —  Right  Reverend. 
Rt.  Wpful.  —  Right  Worshipful. 
Ru.  —  Runic. 

Russ.  —  Russia  or  Russian. 
R.W.  —  Right  Worthy. 
R.W.O.  —  Riddare  of  Wasa  Or- 

den,  Knight  of  the  Order  of 

Wasa. 

S.  —  Sextus;  seven  (anc.). 
S.  —  Solo  (in  Italian  music). 
S.  —  Stem  (of  a  word). 
S.  —  Sulphur;  Sunday. 
S.  or  So.f  —  South. 
S.J  or  s.J  —  See. 
S.  or  s.  —  Set,  sets;  sign,  signs. 
S.  or  s.  —  Solidus,  a  shilling. 
S.  or  s.  —  Solidi,  shillings. 
S.  or  s.  —  Sou,  sous. 
S.  or  s.;  Sec.  or  sec.  —  Second, 

seconds. 
S.  or  s. ;  Sec.|  or  sec.;f  Sect,  or 

sect.  —  Section. 
SS.  or  ss.;   Sects,  or  sects.  — 

Sections. 

S.|  or  s.  ;J  Ser.  or  ser.  —  Series. 
S.f  or  s.  ;|  Sing,  or  sing.  —  Sin 
gular  (number  > 


S.f  or  s.  ;f  Subst  or  subst.  —  A 
substantive  (noun). 

S.f  s.;f  SS.  or  ss.—  Semis,  half, 

s.J  ss.f  so.  or  scil.  —  Scilicet,  to 
wit,  namely. 

s.a. — Secundum  arttm,  according 
to  art. 

S.A.  or  S.  Am.f — South  America. 

Sam.  —  Samaritan ;  Samuel. 

Sansc.  or  Sans.f  —  Sanscrit. 

S.A.S. — Societatis  Antiquariorum 
Socius,  Fellow  of  the  Society 
of  Antiquarians. 

Sat.  or  Sa.f  —  Saturday. 

Sax.  —  Saxon. 

Sax.  Chron.  —  Saxon  Chronicle. 

Sb.  —  Stibium  (Antimony). 

S.C.  —  Senatus  Consultum,  a  de 
cree  of  the  Senate. 

S.C.  —  South  Carolina. 

Sc.  or  sc. ;  Scr.t  or  scr.f  —  Scru 
ple,  scruples. 

Sc.  or  sc.  —  Sculpsit,  engraved. 

sc.  or  scil.  —  Scilicet,  namely. 

S.  caps.  —  Small  capitals. 

Sch.  or  sch.;  Schr.|  or  schr.J 
—  Schooner. 

Schs.  or  schs.  —  Schooners. 

Sci.  —  Science. 

Scip.  —  Scipio. 

Sclav.  —  Sclavonic. 

Scot.  —  Scotland. 

Scot.  —  Scotch  or  Scottish. 

Sc.  Pen.  —  Scandinavian  Penin 
sula. 

Sculp,  or  sculp.  —  Sculpeit,  (he 
or  she)  engraved. 

S.E.  —  South-east. 

Se.  —  Selenium. 

Schol.  —  Scholium,  a  note. 

Schol.  —  Scholia,  notes. 

Sec.  or  sec.  —  Second,  seconds. 


ABBREVIATIONS. 


297 


gec.f  —  Section. 

Sec.  or  Secy.f  —  Secretary. 

Sec.  Leg.  —  Secretary  of  Lega 
tion. 

Sect,  or  sect. —  Section. 

Sects,  or  sects.  —  Sections. 

Select. —  Selection  or  selections. 

Sen.  —  Senate ;  Senator. 

Sen.  or  sen.  —  Senior. 

Sept.  or  Sep.f  —  September. 

Sept.  —  Septuagint. 

seq.  or  sq.f  —  Sequente,  and  in 
what  follows. 

seqq.  or  sqq.f  —  Sequentibus,  and 
in  the  following  (places). 

Ser.  or  ser.  —  Series. 

Serg.  —  Sergeant. 

Serg.-Maj.  —  Sergeant-Major. 

Serj.  —  Serjeant. 

Serv.  —  Servius. 

Servt.  —  Servant. 

Sex.  —  Sextus. 

S.G.  —  South  Georgia. 

Shak.  —  Shakspeare. 

S.H.S.  —  Societatis  Historic  So- 
cius,  Fellow  of  the  Historical 
Society. 

Si.  —  Silicium  or  Silicon. 

Sic.  —  Sicily  or  Sicilian. 

Sim.  or  sim.  —  Similarly. 

Sing,  or  sing.  —  Singular. 

S.  Isl.  —  Sandwich  Islands. 

S.J.C — Supreme  Judicial  Court. 

S.L.  —  Solicitor  at  Law  (Scot.). 

S.L.  or  S.  lat.  —  South  latitude. 

Sid.  or  sld.  —  Sailed. 

B.  L.  P.q.  Preston.  Soc.  Hon.  — 
Societatis  Literarice  Philosophi- 
cceque  Prestonensis  Socius  Ho- 
norarius,  Honorary  Member  of 
the  Literary  and  Philosophical 
Society  of  Preston. 


S.M.  Lond.  Soc.  Cor.  —  Societaiis 
MediccB  Londonensis  Socius  Cor. 
Corresponding  Member  of  the 
London  Medical  Society. 

Sn.  —  Stannum  (Tin). 

s.  n.  —  Secundum  naturam,  ac 
cording  to  nature. 

So.f  —  South. 

Soc.  Isl.  —  Society  Islands. 

Sol.  —  Solomon. 

Sol.  — Solicitor;  Solution. 

Sol.-Gen.  —  Solicitor-General. 

S.  of  Sol.  —  Song  of  Solomon. 

South.  Lit.  Mess.  —  Southern 
Literary  Messenger. 

South.  Quar.  Rev.  —  Southern 
Quarterly  Review. 

S.P.  or  s.  p.  —  Seaport. 

S.P.  or  s.  p.  —  Sine  prole,  without 
issue. 

Sp.  —  Spain  or  Spanish. 

S.P.  A.S.—  Societatis  Philosophical 
Americans  Socius,  Member  of 
the  American  Philosophical 
Society. 

S.P.G.  —  Society  for  the  Propa 
gation  of  the  Gospel. 

Sp.  or  sp.  gr.  —  Specific  gravity. 

&P.Q.R.  —  Senatus  Populusque 
Romanus,  the  Senate  and  Ro 
man  people. 

Sq.  or  sq.  ft.  —  Square  foot,  feet. 

Sq.  or  sq.  in.  —  Square  inch  or 
inches. 

Sq.  or  sq.  m.  —  Square  mile  or 
miles. 

Sq.  or  sq.  r.  —  Square  rood  or 
roods. 

Sq.  or  sq.  yd.  —  Square  yard. 

Sq.  or  sq.  yds.  —  Square  yards. 

sq.f  —  In  what  follows. 

sqq.f  —  In  the  following  (places). 


298 


APPENDIX. 


Sr.  —  Strontium.      Sr.  J  —  Sir. 

S.K.I.  —  Sacrum  Romanum  Impe- 
rium,  the  holy  Roman  empire. 

S.R.S.  —  Societatis  Reyice  Socius, 
Fellow  of  the  Royal  Society. 

S.S.  —  Sunday  School. 

SS.  or  ss.  —  Sections. 

SS.  or  ss.  —  Semis,  half. 

SS.f  or  ss.f  —  Scittcet,  to  wit. 

S.  S.  C.  —  Solicitor  before  the 
Supreme  Courts  (Scotland). 

S.S.E.  —  South-south-east. 

S.S.W.  —  South-south-west 

St.  —  Saint. 

St.  or  st.  —  Street;  Strait. 

Stat.  —  Statute  or  statutes. 

S.T.D.  —  Sanctas  Theologias  Doc 
tor,  Doctor  of  Divinity. 

Ster.  or  ster. ;  Stg.f  or  stg.f  — 
Sterling. 

S.T.P.  —  Sanctee  Theologize  Pro 
fessor,  Professor  of  Divinity. 

Sts.  or  sts.  —  Streets. 

Subj.  or  subj.;  Subjunct.f  or 
subjunct.f  —  Subjunctive. 

Subst.  or  subst.  —  Substantive. 

Suff.  or  suff.  —  Suffix. 

Su.-Goth.  —  Suio-Gotliic. 

Sulph. —  Sulphur  or  sulphurous. 

Sup.  —  Supplement. 

Super,  or  super.  —  Superfine. 

Superl.  or  superl.  —  Superlative. 

Supt.  —  Superintendent. 

Surg.  —  Surgeon ;  Surgery. 

Surg.-Gen.  —  Surgeon-General. 

Surv.  —  Surveyor. 

Surv.-Gen.  —  Surveyor-General. 

Sus.  —  Susannah. 

S.W.  —  South-west. 

Sw.  —  Sweden  or  Swedish. 

Switz.  —  Switzerland. 

Syr.  —  Syria  or  Syriac. 


T.  —  A  hundred  and  sixty  ( anc. ) . 

T.  —  A  hundred  and  sixty  thou 
sand  (anc.). 

T.  —  Technical  (term). 

T.  —  Tenor  (in  music). 

T.  — Titus;  Titius;  Tullius. 

T.f  or  Tur.— Turkey  or  Turkish. 

T.  —  Tutti,  the  whole  band  after 
a  solo. 

T.  or  t. ;  Tn.f  or  tn.f  —  Town, 
township. 

T.  or  t. ;  Tom.f  or  tom.f— Tome, 
tomes. 

T.  or  t.  —  Ton,  tons ;  tun,  tuns. 

T.  or  tr.  —  Trillo,  a  shake. 

Ta.  —  Tantalum  (Columbium). 

Te.  —  Tellurium. 

Tenn.  or  Ten.f  —  Tennessee 

Ter.  —  Territory. 

Term.  —  Termination. 

Tex.  —  Texas. 

Text.  Rec.  —  Textua  Receptua,  the 
Received  Text. 

Th.  —  Thorium. 

Th.t  Thu.f  Thurs.  —  Thursday. 

Theo.  —  Theodore. 

Theol.  —  Theology,  Theological. 

Theoph.  —  Theophilus. 

Theor.  —  Theorem. 

Thess.  —  Thessalonians. 

Thos.  —  Thomas. 

Thurs.  —  Thursday. 

Ti.  —  Titanium. 

Tier,  or  tier.  —  Tierce,  tierces. 

Tim.  —  Timothy. 

Tit.  —  Titus. 

T.O.  — Turn  over. 

Tob.  —  Tobit. 

Tom.f  or  tom.f  —  Tome,  tomes 

Tonn.  or  tonn.  —  Tonnage. 

Tr.  —  Terbium. 

Tr.  or  tr.  —  Transpose. 


ABBREVIATIONS. 


299 


Tr.  -Trustee.     Trs.  —  Trustees. 
Tr.  Brit.  Mus.  —  Trustee  of  the 

British  Museum. 
Trans,  or  Tr.f  —  Translator. 
Trans,  or  Tr.f  —  Translation. 
Trans,  or  trans.  —  Translated. 
Treas.  or  Tr.f  —  Treasurer. 
Trin.  —  Trinity. 
T.S.  —  Tense-stem,  or  stem  of 

the  perfect  tense. 
Tues.  or  Tu.t  —  Tuesday. 
Tur.  —  Turkey  or  Turkish. 
Turnp.  —  Turnpike. 
Tut.  —  Tutor. 
Typ.  —  Typographer. 
U.  —  Uranium. 
U.C.  —  Upper  Canada. 
U.  E.  I.  C.  —  United  East-  India 

Company. 
U.J.C.  —  Utriusque  Juris  Doctor, 

Doctor  of  both  Laws. 
ulL  —  Ultimo,  last ;  of  the  last 

month. 

U.K.  —  United  Kingdom. 
am.  —  Unmarried. 
Univ.  —  University. 
U.S.  —  United  States. 
U.S.A.  —  United  States-Army. 
U.S.  A.  —  United  States  of  Ame 
rica. 
U.  S.  Lit.  Gaz.  —  United- States 

Literary  Gazette. 
U.S.M.  — United-States  Mail. 
U.S.M.  — United-States  Marines. 
U.S.N.  —  United-States  Navy. 
U.S.S.  —  United-States  Ship, 
u.  s.  —  Ut  supra,  as  above. 
V.  —  Five  or  fifth. 
V.  —  Five  thousand  (anc.). 
V.  —  Vanadium. 
V.  —  Victoria. 
V,  —  Violiu.      V  V.  —  Violins. 


V.  or  v.  —  Verb. 

V. J  or  v.  ;J  Ver.  or  ver.  —  Verse, 
verses,  vv.t  —  Verses. 

V.  or  v.;  Vi.t  or  vi.;t  Vid.J  or 
vid.J  —  Vide,  see. 

V.f  or  v.  ;f  Vil.  or  vil.  —  Village. 

V.,  Voc.  or  voc.  —  Vocative. 

V.f  or  v.  ;t  Vol.  or  vol.  —  Vo 
lume. 

v.,  vs.  or  vers.  —  Versus,  against 

Va.  —  Virginia. 

Vat.  —  Vatican. 

v.  a.  —  Verb  active. 

v.  aux.  —  Verb  auxiliary. 

v.  def.  —  Verb  defective. 

v.  dep.  —  Verb  deponent. 

V.C.  —  Vice-Chancellor. 

V.  D.  M.  —  Verbi  Dei  Minister, 
Minister  of  God's  Word. 

Ven.  —  Venerable. 

Ver.  or  ver.  —  Verse,  verses. 

vers.  —  Versus,  against. 

V.  g.  or  v.  g.  —  Verbi  y ratio.,  for 
example. 

VI.  —  Six  or  sixth. 

VII.  —  Seven  or  seventh. 

VIII.  —  Eight  or  eighth. 
VHII.t  or  IX.  —  Nine  or  ninth. 
Vice-Pres.  or  V.P.f  —  Vice-Pre- 

sident. 

v.  imp.  —  Verb  impersonal, 
v.in.  or  v.  i.f — Verb  intransitive. 
v.  irr.  —  Verb  irregular. 
Vil.  or  vil.  —  Village. 
Vise.,  Vis.  or  V.f  —  Viscount. 
viz.  or  vl.J  —  Videlicet,  to  wit, 

namely. 

v.  n.  —  Verb  neuter. 
Vo.  —  Verso,  left-hand  page. 
Voc.  or  voc.  —  Vocative  (case). 
Vol.  or  vol.  —  Volume. 
Vols.  or  vols.  —  Volume 


800 


APPENDIX. 


V.  R.  —  Victoria  Regina,  Queen 
Victoria. 

v.  r.  —  Verb  reflective. 

v.  tr.  —  Verb  transitive. 

Vt.  —  Vermont. 

Vul.  —  Vulgate  (Version). 

Vulg.  or  vulg.  —  Vulgar  (expres 
sion). 

W.  — Welsh;  West. 

W.  — Wolfram  (Tungsten). 

w.  —  Wife. 

W.  or  Wed.  —  Wednesday. 

W.t  or  w.  ;f  Wk.  or  wk.—  Week. 

Wash.  —  Washington. 

West.  Res.  Coll.  —  Western  Re 
serve  College. 

Westra.  Rev.  —  Westminster  Re 
view. 

w.f.  —  Wrong  font. 
Whf.  or  whf.;   Wf.f  or  wf.f  — 
Wharf. 

W.I.  or  W.  Ind.f  —  West  Indies 

or  West  India. 
Wis.  or  Wise.  —  Wisconsin. 
Wisd.  —  Wisdom  (Book  of). 
Wks.  or  wks.  —  Weeks. 
W.  Ion.  —  West  longitude. 
Wm.  or  Will.f  —  William. 
W.M.S.  —  Wesleyan  Missionary 

Society. 

W.N.  W.  —  West-north-west. 
Wp.  —  Worship. 
Wpful.  —  Worshipful. 
W.S.  —  Writer  to  the  Signet. 
W.S.W.  —  West-south-west. 
W.T.  —  Washington  Territory. 
Wi.  or  wt.  — Weight. 
X.  —  Ten  or  tenth. 
^  •  —  A  thousand  (anc.). 
X.  —  Ten  thousand  (anc.). 
XL,  XII.  —  Eleven,  twelve. 
XIIL  —  Thirteen. 


Xllll.t  or  XIV.  —  Fourteen. 
XV.,  XVI.  —  Fifteen,  sixteen, 

XVII.  —  Seventeen. 

XVIII.  or  XIIX.J  —  Eighteen. 
XVIIII.t  or  XIX.  — Nineteen. 

XX.  —  Twenty. 

XXI.  —  Twenty-one. 

XXII.  —  Twenty-two. 
XXX.  — Thirty. 
XXXX.f  or  XL.  —  Forty. 
XC.  or  LXL.f  —  Ninety. 
X.f  or  Xt.f  —  Christ. 
Xmas.f  or  Xm.f  —  Christmas. 
Xn.f  or  Xtian.f  —  Christian. 
Xnty.f  or  Xty.f  —  Christianity. 
Xper.f  —  Christopher. 

Y. —  A  hundred  mid  fifty  (anc.\ 

Y.  —  A  hundred  and  fifty  thou 
sand  (anc.). 

Y.  —  Yttrium. 

Y.f  y.t  or  yr.  —  Year. 

Y.B.  or  Yr.-Bk.  —  Year  Book. 

Yd.  or  yd.  —  Yard. 

Yds.  or  yds.  —  Yards. 

y.t  or  y*-t  —  The. 

ym.f  _  Them. 

yn.f  _  Then. 

yr-t  —  Their;  your. 

ys.f  _  This. 

ytf  _  That. 

Yrs.  or  yrs.  —  Years. 

Yrs.t  —  Yours. 

Z.  —  Two  thousand  (anc.}. 

Z.  —  Two  millions  (anc.). 

Z.  or  Zr. —  Zirconium. 

Zech.  —  Zechariah. 

Zeph.  —  Zephaniah. 

Zn.  —  Zinc. 

Zool.  —  Zoology. 

&.  —  And. 

&c.  or  etc.  —  Et  cceteri,  et  cater**, 
et  c&tera,  and  the  rest 


SIGNS. 


301 


V  -  MEDICAL,  ARITHMETICAL,  ALGEBRAIC,  AND 
GEOMETRICAL  SIGNS. 


ft  .  .  . 

Recipe,  take  of. 

A     ... 

Triangle. 

6     ... 

Semis,  half. 

z  .  .  . 

Angle. 

a,  or  aa    . 

.4na,  equal  parts  of 

L    .    .    . 

Right  angle. 

each. 

1    ... 

Perpendicular. 

ft)     ... 

Pound. 

a    ... 

Rectangle. 

5    •  •  • 

Ounce. 

>     .     .     . 

Greater  than. 

3     ... 

Dram. 

cr    .    .    . 

Greater  than. 

B    .    .    . 

Scruple. 

<    .    .    . 

Less  than. 

¥    .    .    • 

Per,  each. 

-a    ... 

Less  than. 

@    .    .    . 

At  or  to. 

—  :.    .    . 

The    difference,    01 

$     ... 

Dollar  or  dollars. 

excess. 

j£     .    .    . 

Pound    or    pounds 

-    ... 

The    difference,    01 

sterling. 

excess. 

/    .    .    . 

Shilling  or  shillings. 

II     ... 

Parallelism. 

4    •    •    • 

Plus,  more,  in  ad 

V     . 

= 

Equiangular. 

dition. 

-H-     .      .      . 

Geometrical  propor 

—   .    . 

Minus,  less,  in  sub 

tion. 

traction. 

0.      .      . 

Equivalent. 

x    ... 

Into,  in  multiplica 

/•  •  • 

Sum  or  integral. 

tion. 

£       •     •     • 

Residual. 

-*-... 

By,  in  division 

...... 

Whence. 

=    .   .   . 

Equal  to. 

±     .     •     - 

Positive  or  negative 

:  ::  :   .    . 

Signs  in  proportion. 

00       ... 

Infinitely  large. 

V  v     •    • 

The  radical  sign  in 

a     ... 

Proportional  to. 

evolution. 

o  .   .   . 

Circle,  or  360°. 

in>    .        . 

Sign  in  evolution. 

0        ... 

Degree. 

ca   ... 

Unknown       differ 

/ 

Minute  of  arc. 

ence;  similitude. 

"... 

Second  of  arc. 

o    ... 

Regular     quadran 

7T      .      .      • 

Ratio  between  (ham. 
and  circumference. 

gle,                         j  «      .    .    . 

Napier's  base. 

302 


APPENDIX. 


VI.  —  ASTRONOMICAL   CHARACTERS. 


I.    THE  TWELVE  SIGNS  OF  TUB   ZODIAC. 

T 

.    .    Aries,  the  Ram.                   ^»  .  .  Libra,  the  Balance. 

8 

.    .     Taurus,  the  Bull. 

HI   .  .  Scorpio,  the  Scorpio  Q. 

n 

.    .     Gemini,  the  Twins. 

t    .  .  Sagittarius,  the  Archer. 

0 

.    .     Cancer,  the  Crab. 

V3   .  .    Capricornus,  the  Goat 

ft 

.    .    Leo,  the  Lion. 

£?  .  .  Aquarius,  the  Watermau 

« 

.    .     Virgo,  the  Virgin. 

3£   .  .  Pisces,  the  Fishes. 

II.    THE  PLANETARY  SIGNS- 

5 

....    Mercury. 

m    .    .    .    .    Iris.* 

9 

....    Venus. 

ft    .    .    .    .    Flora.* 

e 

....    Earth. 

«>    .    .    .    .    Metis.* 

• 

....    Moon. 

ft    .    .    .    .    Parthenope.* 

$ 

....    Mars. 

•gr  .  .  .  .  ciio.* 

9 

....    Ceres.* 

^  .    .    .    .    Irene.* 

$ 

....    Pallas.* 

11    .    .    .    .    Jupiter. 

0 

....    Juno.* 

>    .    .    .    .    Saturn. 

Q 

....    Vesta.* 

I#    .    .    .    .    Uranus. 

fU 

....    Astraea.* 

3JJ    .    .    .    .    Neptune. 

2 

....    Hebe.* 

©  0    ...    Sun. 

m.    THE  LUNAR  SIGNS. 

• 

....    New  Moon. 

©    .         .    .    Full  Moon. 

0 

....    First  Quarter. 

®    .    .    .    .    Last  Quarter. 

IV.    ASPECTS  OP  THE  PLANETS. 

d 

....    Conjunction. 

*    ....    Sextile. 

1 

....    Opposition. 

Q    .    .    .    .    Ascending  Node. 

A 

....    Trine. 

W    .    .    .    .    DescendingNode 

D 

....    Quartile. 

9    ....    Part  of  Fortune. 

*  These  and  the  other  asteroids  are  now  more  commonly  designated  by 
O  Inclosing  the  number  indicating  the  order  of  their  discovery. 


HINTS    ON    PREPARING    COPY.  303 

HINTS 

ON 

THE   PREPARATION   OF   "  COPY," 

AND  ON 

PROOF-READING. 


In  preparing  and  bringing  out  a  book  for  publication, 
a  great  number  of  persons  are  employed ;  each  of  them 
having  to  use  more  or  less  the  brain,  the  hand,  and  the 
eye  ;  to  call  into  action  the  principles  of  mind,  me 
chanism,  and  taste  ;  to  occupy,  in  short,  his  special 
department  of  duty  and  toil.  For  our  present  purpose, 
however,  we  will  mention  only  three  agents  who  play 
a  prominent  though  an  unequal  part  in  the  production 
of  a  book,  and  who  have  particularly  to  do  with  the 
mode  in  which  it  is  executed.  These  are  the  author, 
the  compositor,  and  the  proof-reader;  the  producer 
of  the  ideas,  the  arranger  of  the  types,  and  the  cor 
rector  of  the  typographic  errors. 

Let  us  suppose,  then,  that  the  writer  of  a  work, 
instead  of  transcribing  it  as  many  times  as  would  be 
requisite  for  the  perusal  of  his  friends  or  his  fellow- 
men,  is  desirous  of  saving  himself  this  trouble,  and  of 
having  a  large  number  of  copies  put  into  their  hands 
by  means  infinitely  more  rapid ;  namely,  through  the 
agency  of  the  printing-press.  Before,  however,  taking 
this  step,  he  will  ascertain  whether  his  manuscript  — 
or,  as  it  is  technically  called,  "  the  copy "  —  be  in 


304  APPENDIX.      N 

a  suitable  condition  for  being  made  out  by  the  com 
positor  and  the  proof-reader.  If  it  consists  of  orations, 
discourses,  lectures,  or  poems,  certain  portions  of  which 
have,  for  his  own  accommodation  in  delivery,  been 
underlined,  but  which  are  not  to  be  printed  in  Italics 
or  small  capitals,  he  will  carefully  expunge  all  such 
marks.  He  will  examine  if  proper  names  and  foreign 
or  technical  expressions,  supposing  them  to  occur,  have 
been  correctly  spelled  and  clearly  written;  rectifying 
the  inaccuracies,  and  making  the  obscure  perfectly 
plain  and  legible.  He  will  dot  the  t's,  and  cross  the 
2's,  which,  in  the  haste  of  composition,  may  have  been 
left  imperfect ;  change  such  capital  Ts  and  «/'s  as  may 
be  confounded  with  each  other ;  and  re-form  whatever 
letters  may  be  blurred  or  ill-shapen,  particularly  the 
s's  in  the  terminations  of  plural  nouns.  He  will  see 
whether  the  interlineations,  if  there  be  any,  have  been 
introduced  with  sufficient  distinctness.  Should  he  make 
additions  in  the  margin,  or  on  the  opposite  or  a  separate 
leaf,  he  will  mark  with  a  caret  the  place  of  insertion, 
and  say  whether  they  are  designed  as  text  for  the  body 
of  the  matter,  or  as  notes  for  the  foot  of  the  page; 
putting  such  or  any  other  direction  within  a  circle,  that 
it  may  be  readily  noticed.  If  points  have  been  omitted, 
he  will  supply  them ;  if  erroneously  made,  correct 
them.  All  words  and  phrases,  which,  for  his  own  ease, 
he  has  abbreviated,  he  will  write  in  full ;  and  at  the 
commencement  of  any  sentence  meant  to  begin  a  new 
paragraph,  but  not  distinctly  exhibited  as  such,  he  will 
put  the  mark  (IT)  appropriated  for  that  purpose. 

If,  however,  after  all  this  care,  an  author  find,  on 
re-inspection,  that  the  manuscript  cannot  without  diffi- 


HINTS    ON    PREPARING    COPT.  305 

culty  be  deciphered,  he  will  either  fairly  transcribe  it 
himself,  or  cause  it  to  be  transcribed  by  a  good  penman. 
He,  or  his  amanuensis,  will  write  on  only  one  side 
of  the  paper,  and  mark  the  number  of  each  page, 
that  the  copy  may  admit  of  being  cut  into  portions ; 
put,  if  necessary,  into  the  hands  of  several  composi 
tors  ;  and,  after  having  been  set  up,  be  re-arranged  in 
its  proper  order.  He  will  see  that  the  orthography, 
the  capitals,  and  the  points,  which  were  perhaps  imper 
fectly  attended  to  in  the  original  manuscript,  be  all 
conformed  to  the  best  usages  of  the  present  day.  He 
will  distinguish  the  paragraphs  by  commencing  each  in 
a  new  line,  and  putting  its  first  word  at  a  greater  dis 
tance  from  the  edge  of  the  paper,  at  the  left  hand,  than 
the  other  lines,  to  prevent  sentences  which  should  be 
separated  from  being  brought  together,  or  those  which 
should  be  joined  from  being  separated.  On  no  account 
should  the  paragraphing  be  left  to  the  compositor ;  it 
being  unreasonable  to  expect  him  to  perform  a  species 
of  work  for  which  no  remuneration  is  given,  and  which 
peculiarly  devolves  on  the  writer  himself. 

In  the  observations  just  made,  we  have  assumed 
that  an  author  takes  all  possible  care  to  make  his 
manuscript  clear  and  legible ;  and,  no  doubt,  many 
literary  gentlemen  are  not  ashamed  to  do  their  own 
work,  instead  of  leaving  it  to  be  done,  at  the  imminent 
hazard  of  mistakes,  by  the  compositor  and  the  proof 
reader.  But  it  is  a  well-known  fact,  at  least  to  those 
conversant  with  subjects  relating  to  the  press,  that 
manuscripts  designed  for  publication  are  often  found 
written  so  carelessly,  or  with  so  little  regard  to  any 
system  of  capitalizing  and  punctuation,  as  to  render 
20 


306  APPENDIX. 

the  labor  of  printing  them  vexatious,  unsatisfactory, 
and  unproductive,  —  first  to  the  compositor,  who,  after 
coming  to  many  a  dead  halt,  and  troubling  ad  nauseam 
his  fellow- workmen,  in  attempting  to  decipher  the  copy, 
is  obliged  to  creep  his  "  slow  length  along,"  with  all 
the  patience  that  may  be  supplied  by  the  prospect  of 
miserable  earnings ;  then  to  the  corrector  of  the  press, 
who,  whatever  may  be  his  literary  qualifications,  is 
certainly  not  familiar  with  the  unexpressed  thoughts 
of  authors,  and  cannot  find  an  explanation  of  their 
flourishes,  their  half-written  words,  or  their  peculiar 
hieroglyphics,  in  any  of  the  dictionaries  at  his  com 
mand  ;  and  lastly  to  the  master-printer,  whose  material 
is  blocked  up  by  the  slow  progress  of  the  work  in 
question,  and  whose  pockets  sometimes  suffer  from 
the  cancelling  of  pages,  which  is  not  unfrequently  as 
much  attributable  to  scratches  of  the  pen  as  to  "  errors 
of  the  press,"  —  as  much  owing  to  the  carelessness  of 
the  author  or  his  amanuensis,  as  to  the  incompetency 
of  the  printer  or  his  workmen.  We  do  not  mean  to 
apologize  for  the  blunders  of  compositors,  or  to  excuse 
the  negligence  and  ignorance  of  proof-readers,  but 
merely  to  express  our  sense  of  the  injustice  done  to 
the  profession  of  typography,  when  authors  who  have 
written  illegibly,  or  who  have  themselves  examined 
the  proof-sheets  without  detecting  mistakes,  throw  the 
whole  responsibility  on  the  shoulders  of  others. 

As  a  justification  of  our  hardihood  in  thus  laying 
down  to  authors  instructions  so  minute  and  yet  so 
obvious,  we  quote  a  paragraph,  which  has  recently 
appeared  in  an  English  newspaper,  showing  the  gross 
carelessness  and  utter  want  of  thought  manifested,  on 


HINTS    ON   PREPARING    COPT.  307 

the  part  of  some  writers,  in  preparing  their  works  for 
publication.  The  case  referred  to  is,  indeed,  an  ex 
treme  one ;  but  its  main  feature  —  the  illegibility  of 
the  copy  —  unhappily  characterizes  the  manuscripts 
of  many  other  distinguished  men. 

"  The  late  Sharon  Turner,  author  of  the  *  History  of  the  Anglo- 
Saxons,'  who  received  three  hundred  a  year  from  Government  as  a 
literary  pension,  wrote  the  third  volume  of  his  '  Sacred  History  of 
the  World '  upon  paper  which  did  not  cost  him  a  farthing.  The 
copy  consisted  of  torn  and  angular  fragments  of  letters  and  notes; 
of  covers  of  periodicals,  —  gray,  drab,  or  green,  —  written  in  thick, 
round  hand  over  a  small  print ;  of  shreds  of  curling  paper,  unctuous 
with  pomatum  or  bear's  grease ;  and  of  the  white  wrappers  in  which 
his  proofs  were  sent  from  the  printers.  The  paper,  sometimes  as 
thin  as  a  bank-note,  was  written  on  both  sides;  and  was  so  sodden 
with  ink,  plastered  on  with  a  pen  worn  to  a  stump,  that  hours  were 
frequently  wasted  in  discovering  on  which  side  of  it  certain  sen 
tences  were  written.  Men  condemned  to  work  on  it  saw  their 
dinner  vanishing  in  illimitable  perspective,  and  first-rate  hands 
groaned  over  it  a  whole  day  for  tenpence.  One  poor  fellow  assured 
the  writer  of  this  paper,  that  he  could  not  earn  enough  upon  it  to 
pay  his  rent,  and  that  he  had  seven  mouths  to  fill  besides  his  own. 
In  the  hope  of  mending  matters  in  some  degree,  slips  of  stout  white 
paper  were  sent  frequently  with  the  proofs ;  but  the  good  gentleman 
could  not  afford  to  use  them,  and  they  never  came  back  as  copy." 

Satisfied  that  the  manuscript  is  in  a  fit  state  to  be 
read,  the  author  employs  a  letterpress  printer,  giving 
him  such  directions  as  he  thinks  are  necessary.  The 
copy  is  then  delivered  to  the  compositor,  whose  pro 
vince  it  is  to  put  in  type  what  the  author  has  written. 
As  soon  as  the  workman  has  finished  the  setting-up  of 
some  eight,  twelve,  or  more  pages,  according  to  the 
size  of  the  paper  to  be  used,  and  has  arranged  them 
in  such  a  way  that  they  may  all  be  printed  together, 
be  obtains  a  "  proof,"  or  impression  in  ink,  of  the 


308  APPENDIX. 

matter  he  has  set  up ;  and  then  lays  it,  along  with 
tiie  copy,  on  the  corrector's  desk. 

The  obtaining  of  this  proof-sheet  implies,  that  the 
work  of  "  composition,"  or  the  arrangement  of  the  types, 
is  to  some  extent  imperfect  or  erroneous ;  that  the 
matter  set  up  is  not  a  true  counterpart  of  the  original ; 
that  blunders  have  been  made,  as  even  by  the  best  of 
compositors  they  will  be  made,  in  a  variety  of  particu 
lars  which  need  not  here  be  enumerated. 

Unless,  from  instructions  previously  received,  or 
from  an  inspection  of  the  manuscript,  he  has  reason 
to  believe  that  the  author  has  a  peculiar  and  unaltera 
ble  taste  in  regard  to  certain  minutiae,  —  such  as  the 
style  of  type  in  titles  and  heads  of  chapters,  the  ortho 
graphy,  punctuation,  use  of  capitals,  &c.,  —  the  proof 
reader,  if  faithful  to  his  duty,  proceeds  to  the  labor  of 
correction  on  the  principle  of  endeavoring  to  render 
the  work  of  the  compositor,  where  changes  are  neces 
sary,  as  neat,  accurate,  and  consistent  in  its  parts,  as 
possible.  He  begins  by  writing  the  phrase  "First 
Proof"  on  the  upper  margin  of  the  first  page.  He 
then  examines  the  folios  and  the  signatures,  the  cap 
tions  and  the  subheads  ;  notices  whether  the  pages  are 
of  equal  or  proper  lengths,  and  if  the  lines  are  straight 
or  crooked ;  inspects  the  spacing,  or  blank,  between  the 
words  and  sentences,  that  they  may  have  regularity  of 
appearance  ;  and  peruses  the  whole  sheet  more  or  less 
rapidly,  —  putting  his  corrections  in  the  margin,  as 
exemplified  at  the  end  of  the  present  work.  All  this 
should  be  the  first  thing  done  in  proof-reading ;  but, 
from  carelessness  or  from  a  supposed  want  of  time, 
it  is  commonly  left  undone,  except  so  far  as  the  duty 


HINTS    ON     PROOF-HEADING.  309 

can  be  performed  in  the  next  process,  about  to  be 
described. 

The  manuscript  ij  now  put  into  the  hands  of  an 
intelligent  boy,  one  who  is  able  to  read  it  aloud  clearly 
and  accurately.  The  corrector  of  the  press  has  the 
proof-sheet  before  him,  and,  if  he  have  gone  through 
the  process  just  mentioned,  has  no  occasion,  when 
making  fresh  marks,  to  stop  the  reader  of  the  copy, 
unless  there  be  some  peculiar  difficulty.  His  chief  aim 
is  to  make  the  print  an  accurate  representation  of  the 
author's  writing,  or  mode  of  expression  :  but  his  atten 
tion  is  also  devoted  to  the  spelling  of  the  words  ID 
accordance  with  some  authorized  standard ;  and  to  the 
punctuation,  that  it  may  develop  the  construction  of 
the  sentences,  and  the  meaning  intended.  He  is  not 
usually  expected,  nor  indeed  is  it  his  province,  to 
change  the  ideas,  to  improve  the  style,  or,  except 
merely  in  a  lapse  of  the  pen,  to  correct  grammatical 
blunders.  But  should  there  occur  any  obscurities  in 
the  writing,  or  any  errors  or  inelegances  in  the  lan 
guage,  he  may  put  a  Qy.  ("  query ")  in  the  margin, 
and  leave  the  suggestions  to  be  made  in  the  next 
proof. 

In  reading  the  manuscript,  the  boy  should  pronounce 
with  an  additional  syllable  such  proper  names  as  have 
a  final  e,  to  distinguish  them  from  those  which  want  this 
letter ;  reading,  for  instance,  Browne,  Deane,  Greene, 
each  as  two  syllables,  and  sounding  the  e  so  as  to  be 
plainly  heard.  He  should  lay  the  accent  on  the  last 
syllable  of  proper  names  having  two  consonants  of  the 
same  kind,  to  distinguish  them  from  those  which  have 
only  one  ;  as,  Bennett'.  But  all  uncommon  or  difficult 


310  APPENDIX. 

words,  whose  constituent  letters  cannot  be  known  by 
any  mode  of  pronunciation,  he  should  spell  through 
out;  as,  Samson,  Sampson;  Taylor,  Tayler ;  Thomson, 
Thompson.  When  viz.  is  written  for  "  namely,"  and 
4 •<•.  for  "  and  so  forth,"  he  should  give  each  word  such 
a  pronunciation  as  will  exhibit  the  mode  in  which  it  is 
to  be  printed  ;  as  viz,  in  conformity  with  its  spelling, 
for  the  former,  and  et  cetera  for  the  latter.  At  the 
beginning  of  every  paragraph,  except  the  first,  he 
should  say  "Paragraph."  At  the  commencement  of 
each  quotation  that  has  quotation-marks,  he  should 
say  "  Turn,"  and,  at  the  end  of  it,  "  Close  ; "  meaning 
by  the  former  expression  that  a  quotation  in  the  manu 
script  is  preceded  by  turned  or  inverted  commas,  and 
by  the  latter  that  it  is  closed  or  finished  by  apostrophes, 
In  reading  words  which  have  a  single  line  drawn  under 
them,  he  should,  instead  of  saying  "Italics,"  which 
would  mar  the  sense,  gently  strike  the  desk,  making 
one  tap  simultaneously  with  the  pronunciation  of  each 
word ;  unless  a  long  sentence  is  Italicized,  when  the 
naming  of  "  Italics  "  before  the  passage,  and  "  Roman  " 
after  it,  will  be  a  sufficient  token  where  it  begins  and 
ends.  To  indicate  such  words  as  are  meant  to  be 
printed  on  capitals  or  small  capitals,  he  should  say 
"  Caps."  or  "  Small  caps.,"  as  the  case  requires.  That 
the  corrector  may  conveniently  inspect  the  manuscript 
when  it  is  hard  to  make  out,  the  boy  should  sit  at  his 
left  hand. 

When  the  proof-sheet  has  been  carefully  read  in  the 
manner  spoken  of,  the  corrector  inserts  in  the  manu 
script  a  bracket  between  the  last  word  of  the  printed 
&heet  and  the  first  of  the  next ;  and,  over  these,  the 


HINTS    ON    PROOF-READING.  311 

paging,  the  signature,  and,  if  requisite,  the  number  of 
volume  ;  as,  "  [Page  9,  Sig.  2,  vol.  i. ;  "  or  "  [Page  9, 
Sig.  C ; "  so  that  no  mistake  may  be  committed  in 
beginning  to  set  or  make  up  the  pages  that  immediately 
follow.  He  then  cuts  off  the  portion  of  the  manuscript 
which  is  marked  as  above,  and  returns  it  at  once  with 
the  proof-sheet  to  the  compositor,  whose  business  it  is 
to  make  his  work  correspond  accurately  with  the  cor 
rections  marked.  Having  performed  this  duty,  the 
compositor  has  another  impression  taken  of  his  pages, 
which  he  delivers,  along  with  the  former  one,  to  the 
proof-reader. 

And  now  begins  another  process  on  the  part  of  the 
corrector  of  the  press,  by  his  writing  on  the  newly 
printed  sheet  the  wt/rds  "  Second  Proof."  After  placing 
the  two  proofs  in  juxtaposition,  he  minutely  compares 
them,  in  order  to  -Ascertain  whether  all  the  errors  that 
had  been  marked  have  been  corrected  in  the  type ; 
re-marking  those  which  may  have  been  neglected, 
transcribing  the  queries  from  the  first  proof,  and  making 
such  suggestions  as  he  thinks  proper.  Should  the 
establishment  have  another  proof-reader,  he  transfers 
to  him  the  second  proof,  with  the  manuscript,  to  be 
examined  again,  and,  if  necessary,  recorrected.  If, 
however,  there  is  only  one  reader,  he  should  with 
unwearied  eye  peruse  it  afresh ;  mark  in  the  margin 
whatever  errors  may  have  escaped  his  notice  in  the 
previous  reading,  or  been  made  by  the  compositor  in 
the  transference  of  the  corrections ;  and  send  the  proof- 
sheet  immediately  to  the  writer  of  the  work,  unless  the 
errors  are  so  numerous  as  to  require  additional  labor 
and  a  third  proof. 


312  AIM'KXDIX. 

If  the  author  be  a  thoughtful  man.  he  will  take  care 
that  no  unnecessary  delay  occur  in  the  performance  of 
his  duty ;  for,  though  it  may  possibly  be  a  matter 
of  little  importance  to  the  public  or  himself  when  his 
book  will  make  its  appearance,  it  is  of  the  utmost 
moment  to  the  printer  and  his  workmen  that  their 
material  be  not  blocked  up,  or  their  time  fritteml 
away.  He  therefore  proceeds  at  once  to  the  inspection 
of  his  proof-sheet ;  to  the  task  of  examining  every 
page,  line,  word,  letter,  point,  with  a  keen  and  scruti 
nizing  eye.  In  this  he  has  in  view  one  at  least  of 
two  objects,  —  to  ascertain  whether  the  compositor  and 
the  proof-reader  have  left  any  errors  uncorrected,  or 
whether  he  himself,  in  the  preparation  of  his  manu 
script,  has  been  sufficiently  careful  to  express  his  ideas 
in  the  clearest  and  most  accurate  manner.  Indeed,  to 
ensure  the  highest  degree  of  correctness,  he  should 
have  both  objects  in  view ;  for  even  if  the  writer  have 
genius  or  great  learning,  and  the  printer  be  a  man  of 
talent  and  taste,  it  is  not  to  be  supposed,  that  these 
qualities,  so  desirable  in  authorship  and  typography, 
will  have  made  either  of  them  immaculate.  It  is 
therefore  probable  that  both  parties  have  more  or 
less  erred.  The  spelling  or  the  punctuation  may  be 
sometimes  erroneous  ;  the  capitalizing  and  Italicizing 
may  be  susceptible  of  improvement;  inelegances  may 
be  noticed,  improprieties  perceived,  or  grammatical 
inaccuracies  detected,  which,  either  in  the  warmth  of 
composition  or  in  a  premature  haste  for  going  to  press, 
were  before  concealed.  Suggestions,  too,  may  appear  in 
the  margin,  which,  though  made  by  the  office-corrector 
ir  the  modest  form  of  queries,  are  worthy,  at  least  for 


HINTS    ON    PROOF-READING.  313 

courtesy's  sake,  of  being  attended  to  by  the  author; 
who  should  either  adopt  them,  and  expunge,  in  every 
case,  the  word  "  Qy. ; "  make,  if  thought  preferable,  a 
different  change ;  or  erase  both  the  query  and  the 
suggestion,  —  instead  of  leaving  them,  as  is  sometimes 
done,  in  the  margin,  to  try  the  printer's  patience,  and 
to  baffle  his  skill  and  ingenuity  in  ascertaining  what  is 
meant. 

But  an  author  may  be  capable  of  rectifying  all  these 
mistakes,  and  yet,  from  his  inexperience  or  his  heed- 
lessness,  he  may  note  them  down  in  the  proof-sheet  in 
such  a  way  as  to  render  them  either  invisible  or  illegi 
ble,  and  thus  defeat  his  own  purposes.  To  prevent 
this  result,  he  should  mark  his  corrections,  not  with  a 
pencil,  but  with  a  pen  ;  and  place  them,  not  between 
the  printed  lines,  but  in  the  margin,  exactly  opposite 
where  the  changes  required  are  to  be  made.  In  short, 
to  preclude  the  probability  of  additional  or  different 
mistakes,  it  should  be  his  aim  to  use  the  very  marks 
which  the  printer  employs,  and  in  a  similar  way.  To 
facilitate  an  object  so  essential,  we  present  two  pages 
(see  pp.  320-21)  ;  the  one  exhibiting  a  proof,  when 
read  and  marked,  of  work  such  as  may  proceed  from 
the  hands  of  a  compositor ;  the  other,  as  it  would 
appear  after  the  corrections  have  been  duly  made  in 
type.  The  former  is  called  a  "  foul  proof,"  because  it 
contains  a  far  greater  number  of  mistakes  than  could 
be  made  by  a  skilful  and  attentive  workman  ;  but  it  is 
purposely  thus  presented,  in  order  that  an  author  may 
see  at  once  the  whole  of  the  marks  which  are  adopted, 
and  be  enabled  to  write  in  the  same  manner  those 
required  in  his  own  proof. 


814  APPENDIX. 

We  may  add,  for  the  information  of  young  writers, 
and  to  deter  them  from  making  changes  out  of  mere 
caprice,  that  the  transferring  of  these  to  type  is  a 
matter  of  considerable  labor ;  and  that  alterations, 
when  numerous,  will  form  a  rather  heavy  item  in  the 
printer's  bill.  To  save,  however,  as  much  of  this 
expense  as  possible,  an  author  may,  by  a  little  ma 
noeuvring,  often  substitute,  in  room  of  what  he  erases, 
just  as  much  as  would  fill  up  the  space,  or  expunge  as 
great  an  amount  of  matter  as  he  wishes  to  introduce. 

Having  finished  the  reading  and  correcting  of  his 
proof-sheet,  the  author  should  write  on  the  lower 
margin  of  the  last  page,  either  the  words  "Revise 
wanted,"  indicating  that  he  must  have  another  proof, 
in  order  to  compare  it  with  the  former,  and  to  see 
whether  all  the  pages  are  correct,  before  being  printed ; 
or  the  term  "  Press,"  showing  that,  after  the  alterations 
have  been  made  in  the  metal,  and  read  again  by  the 
office  proof-reader  from  another  impression,  there  will 
be  no  occasion  for  himself  to  see  a  revise,  but  that  the 
form  of  pages  may  be  put  to  press.  This  impression  is 
usually  termed  a  "  Press-proof,"  and  so  marked  at  the 
top  of  the  first  page. 

When  the  form  has  gone  to  press,  the  first  fair- 
printed  sheet,  called  a  "Revise,"  is  shown  to  the 
proof-reader,  who  compares  it  with  the  press-proof, 
and  cursorily  examines  the  folios,  the  foot-lines,  and 
the  sides  of  the  pages,  to  ascertain  whether  any  types 
have  fallen  out  or  been  broken,  or  any  "  bites  "  have 
been  made,  in  the  last  processes. 

All  the  operations  described  may  be  regarded  as 
only  one  of  the  stages  made  in  the  progress  of  a  work 


HINTS    ON  PROOF-READING.  315 

through  the  press.  The  same  course  has  to  be  per 
formed  with  the  remainder  of  the  book,  before  it  meets 
the  approving  smile,  the  condemnatory  voice,  or  the 
silent  indifference,  of  the  mighty  Public,  —  before  it 
shine  as  a  beautiful  and  benignant  sun  in  the  firmament 
of  literature,  or  glimmer  like  a  taper  through  its  little 
night,  shedding  for  a  moment  its  delusive  rays  on  the 
step  of  the  benighted  traveller,  but  soon  to  be  extin 
guished  and  forgotten  amid  the  effulgence  of  meridian 
day. 


In  these  suggestions  we  have  said  nothing  of  the 
processes  adopted  in  correcting  a  proof  taken  from 
reprinted,  magazine,  or  newspaper  matter.  But  it 
will  be  easy  for  the  printer  to  modify  these  in  accord 
ance  with  the  nature  of  the  work,  with  the  views  of 
parties  having  over  it  literary  control,  or  with  the 
amount  of  time  given  for  bringing  out  the  publication. 
This  much,  however,  may  be  said,  in  justice  to  authors 
who  have  no  opportunity  of  superintending  the  press, 
that  the  same  degree  of  accuracy  should  be  ensured  in 
the  second  and  following  editions  of  their  books  as 
in  the  first ;  and,  in  relation  to  journals,  that  if  an 
article,  poem,  or  advertisement  is  worth  the  perusal  of 
the  public,  it  surely  deserves  to  be  exhibited  in  a  form 
not  altogether  disgraceful  to  taste  and  letters. 


31 G  APPENDIX. 


VIII.  —  EXPLANATION   OF   PROOF-MARKS. 


To  enable  the  young  author  to  write  his  corrections 
in  the  proof-sheet,  so  as  to  be  readily  seen  and  under 
stood  by  the  compositor,  we  now  enter  on  an  explana 
tion  of  the  marks  used  in  pages  320-21,  and  to  which 
some  allusions  were  made  in  the  preceding  article :  — 

In  page  269,  it  is  said  that  capital  letters  are  indicated  by  three 
horizontal  lines  drawn  beneath  a  word  meant  to  be  so  printed;  small 
capitals,  by  two  lines;  and  Italics,  by  one.  This  is  illustrated  in 
page  320,  —  in  the  title  of  the  piece,  the  printed  lines  numbered  1, 
2&,  and  the  last  line;  where  the  abbreviated  words,  Caps.,  S.  Caps., 
and  Ital,  are  written  in  the  margin,  exactly  opposite  where  the 
corrections  are  to  be  made  in  type. 

If  a  word  or  phrase  has  been  erroneously  put  in  capitals  or  small 
capitals,  instead  of  common  letters,  the  change  is  indicated  by 
writing  in  the  margin,  as  in  No.  2,  the  abbreviation  /.  c.  (for  "  lower 
case  letters  "). 

To  correct  a  wrong  letter,  point,  or  other  character,  a  line  is 
drawn  slopingly  through  it;  to  correct  a  wrong  word  or  phrase  or 
two  wrong  letters,  across  them;  and  the  right  letter,  point,  word, 
or  phrase,  or  the  appropriate  mark,  is  written  in  the  margin,  oppo 
site  the  error.  See  Nos.  2,  5,  6,  9—11,  14,  16—19,  27,  29. 

When  letters,  words,  points,  characters,  or  spaces  have  been 
omitted,  a  caret  is  put  where  they  are  to  be  introduced;  the  correc 
tions,  as  before,  being  written  iu  the  margin.  See  Nos,  3,  4,  7,  13, 
16,  17,  24,  27. 

A  line  drawn  in  a  sloping  direction  from  right  to  left  is  put  after 
all  the  points  written  in  the  margin;  with  the  exception  of  the 
pariol,  which  is  placed  within  a  circle,  and  of  the  apostrophe, 


EXPLANATION    OF    1MIOOF-M  AUKS.  317 

reference-marks,  and  superiors,  which  fire  inserted  in  a  figure  resem 
bling  a  capital  V.  The  lines  are  used  to  separate  one  mark  from 
another  with  which  it  is  unconnected,  or  to  attract  the  eye  to  cor 
rections,  which,  from  their  smallness,  are  liable  to  be  overlooked. 
See  Nos.  2,  9,  13,  15—17,  29. 

If  a  space  is  wanting  between  two  words,  a  mark  like  that  oppo 
site  Nos.  3  and  27  is  put  in  the  margin.  But,  if  letters  that  should 
join  are  separated,  the  mark  ^  must  be  used,  both  under  them  and 
in  the  margin  opposite,  agreeably  to  No.  28. 

A  little  line  is  written  under  letters  or  other  printed  characters 
that  are  inverted,  broken,  or  dirty,  and  also  under  those  which  are 
too  large  or  too  small,  as  in  Nos.  5  and  24.  To  draw  attention  to  an 
inverted  letter,  a  mark  resembling  the  figure  9,  but  sloped,  is  written 
in  the  margin,  No.  5 ;  to  a  bad  or  foul  type,  a  small  cross,  like  an 
Italic  x,  No.  24;  and  to  a  character  of  an  improper  size,  the  abbre 
viation  w?./.,  denoting  a  wrong  font,  No.  25. 

When  a  word,  character,  or  point  is  erased,  a  rf,  written  with  a 
fine  through  it  from  the  top,  similar  to  that  opposite  Nos.  6,  11,  17, 
22,  29,  and  appropriately  called  a  dele  ("strike  out"),  is  placed  in 
the  margin. 

If  a  space  sticks  up  between  two  words,  a  mark  like  a  double 
dagger  should  be  put  opposite,  as  in  No.  19. 

Should  two  words  be  transposed,  note  the  mistake  by  drawing  a 
line  over  the  first  word,  and  continuing  it  under  the  second;  and  by 
placing  the  abbreviation  tr.  ("transpose")  in  the  margin,  as  in 
No.  21?  If  the  misplaced  word  belongs  to  a  different  line  of  print, 
encircle  the  word,  and  draw  a  line  from  it  to  the  place  where  it 
should  be  inserted.  When  several  words  are  to  be  transposed,  indi 
cate  the  order  by  placing  the  figures  1,  2,  3,  &c.,  over  them,  and  by 
drawing  a  line  under  them;  tr.  being,  as  in  the  other  modes  of 
transposition,  written  in  the  margin. 

Should  a  character,  word,  or  phrase  be  struck  out  that  is  after 
wards  approved  of,  dots  are  placed  under  it,  and  the  Latin  direction 
Stet  ("  let  it  stand  or  remain  ")  placed  in  the  margin,  as  in  No.  23. 

When  lines  of  print  are  close  that  should  be  separate,  write  in 
the  margin  the  tern  Lead  or  Leads,  according  to  Nos.  13,  14;  and, 
when  lines  are  apart  that  should  be  close,  say,  Dele  lead,  using, 


318  APPENDIX. 

however,  the  peculiar  mark  for  the  first  of  these  words,  in  accord 
ance  with  Nos.  23,  24. 

When  several  words  or  lines  have  been  left  out,  they  should  be 
written  at  the  side,  top,  or  bottom  of  the  page,  as  is  most  convenient, 
and  a  line  drawn  from  the  place  where  they  are  to  be  introduced,  to 
the  iirst  word  of  the  written  phrase  or  passage,  as  exemplified  in 
No.  '*4.  But,  if  more  matter  is  to  be  inserted  than  can  be  contain  ?d 
in  fie  margin,  the  direction  See  Copy  and  the  folio  of  the  manuscript 
should  be  written  within  a  circle,  opposite  the  line  where  the  omis 
sion  has  been  made. 

In  the  left-hand  margin  of  Nos.  8  and  9  occurs  the  direction,  No 
break ;  and,  in  that  of  No.  12,  the  mark  ^[.  The  former  denotes  that 
the  sentences  between  which  a  line  is  drawn  are  to  be  put  in  one 
and  the  same  paragraph ;  and  the  latter,  that  the  passage  preceded 
by  the  crotchet  [  is  to  begin  a  new  paragraph.  The  last  mark  is 
also  used  for  a  different  purpose,  as  in  No.  1,  where  the  first  word 
is  to  be  brought  to  the  commencement  of  the  line,  without  being 
indented. 

If  a  line  is  irregularly  spaced,  as  in  No.  26,  —  that  is,  if  some 
of  the  words  are  too  close,  and  others  too  wide  apart,  —  let  the 
direction  Space  better  be  written  opposite,  in  the  margin. 

When  the  reader  of  the  proof-sheet  is  doubtful  as  to  the  spelling 
of  any  word,  or  the  correctness  of  any  expression,  he  writes  on  the 
opposite  margin  the  abbreviation  Qy.  (for  query),  with  his  sugges 
tion;  as  exemplified  in  No.  26,  where  the  e  in  the  first  syllable  of 
Shakspeare's  name  is  queried,  and  the  suggestion  made,  by  the 
appropriate  mark,  that  the  letter  be  deled,  or  struck  out. 

Crooked  letters  or  words  are  noticed,  as  in  Nos.  28 — 30,  by  means 
of  horizontal  lines  [  "  ]  drawn  above  and  below  them,  and  also 

in  the  margin. 

Corrections  are  usually  placed  in  the  margin  to  the  right,  as  being 
more  convenient  to  the  hand  of  the  proof-reader  and  the  eye  of  the 
compositor;  the  left-hand  margin  being  appropriated  to  directions 
and  marks  for  which  there  is  little  room  in  the  opposite  margin.  All 
the  corrections  or  emendations  should  be  put  in  the  order  in  which 
they  occur,  as  marked  in  Nos.  1,  2,  6,  8,  9,  11,  17,  19  23  24,  26, 
27,  29. 


SPECIMEN  OF  PROOF-SHEET. 


320 


TYPOGRAPHICAL  MARKS  EXEMPLIFIED. 


WORTH    OF    HUMAN    NATUKE. 


No. 


ST 


25. 


|~Where.  unreasonable  complaiuer  !  dost  thou  stand,  and  what 
is  around  theeX  The  world  spreads  before  -TUBB  its  sublime 
mysteries,  where  the  thoughts  otsages  lose  themselves  in  won- 
der  ;  the  ocean  lifts  up  its  etrnal  anthems  to  thine  ear  ;  the 
golden  «uu  lights  thy  path  ;  the  wide  Ileavens  stretch  them- 
selves  above  thee,  and  worlds  rise  upon  worlds,  and  systems 
beyond  systems,  to  infinity  ;  and  dost  thou  stand  in  .centre  of 
all  this,  to  complain  of  thy  lot  and  place?* 
CjL'upil  of  that  infinite  teaching^  minister  at  Nature's  great 
altar  !  child  of  lieaven's  favor  !  ennobled  being  !  redeemed 
creature  !  -jf-  must  thou  pine  in  moping  and  envious  melancholy, 
amidst  the  plenitude  of  the  whole  creation?  [^But  thy  neigh 


y. 


~frw 
/ 


bor  is  above  thee^thou  sayest.     What  then?     What  is  that  tox\_ 


What  though  the  shout  of  millions  rose  around  him  ? 
What  is  that  to  the  million  ^voiced  nature  that  God  has  given 
thee  f  That  shout  dies  away  into  the  vacant  air ;  it  is  not  his 
but  thy  nature/ thy  favored,  sacred,  and  glorious  nature/as 
thine  i— it- is  the  reality,  to  which  praise  is  but  a  fleeting  breath. 
Thou^canst  meditate  the  things  which  ppplouoc  but  cele 
brates.  ^ 

In  that  thou  art  a  man,  thou  art/exaltedUnnnitelyJabove  what 
any  man  can  be,  in  that  that-  he  is  praised.  I  would  rather  be 
the  humblest  -aa-ra  in  the  world,  than  barely  be  thought  greater 
than  the  greatest.^  Not  one  of  the  crowds  that  listened  to 
the  eloquence /of  Demosthenes  and  Cicero,  —  not  one  who  has 
bent  with  admiration  over  the  pages  of  Homer  and  Shake_- 
speare,r-^n<>t/one  who  followed  in  the  train  of  Caesar  or  of 
Nap  pi  eon,  (would  part  with  the  humblest  power  of  thought, 
for  an  the  fa>ve  that  is  echoing  over  the  world/and  through 


\ 

MlAJjO/J 


Dewey. 


v<in/a<XAs AJ  a/u&AJi/u  cuf  a* 

-   */  '     a 

nrrutAiJ.y,  a*  a 


321 
PRECEDING   PAGE  AFTER   CORRECTION. 


WORTH    OF    HUMAN    NATURE. 

WHERE,  unreasonable  coraplainer !  dost  them  stand,  and  what 
is  around  thee  ?  The  world  spreads  before  thee  its  sublime 
mysteries,  where  the  thoughts  of  sages  lose  themselves  in  won 
der  ;  the  ocean  lifts  up  its  eternal  anthems  to  thine  ear ;  the 
golden  sun  lights  thy  path ;  the  wide  heavens  stretch  them 
selves  above  thee,  and  worlds  rise  upon  worlds,  and  systems 
beyond  systems,  to  infinity ;  and  dost  thou  stand  in  the  centre 
of  all  this,  to  complain  of  thy  lot  and  place?  Pupil  of  that 
infinite  teaching !  minister  at  Nature's  great  altar  !  child  of 
Heaven's  favor !  ennobled  being !  redeemed  creature !  must 
thou  pine  in  sullen  and  envious  melancholy,  amidst  the  pleni 
tude  of  tlie  whole  creation  r 

"  But  thy  neighbor  is  above  thee,"  thou  sayest.  What  then  ? 
What  is  that  to  thee  ?  What  though  the  shout  of  millions  rose 
around  him  ?  What  is  that  to  the  million-voiced  nature  that 
God  has  given  ttteef  That  shout  dies  away  into  the  vacant 
air ;  it  is  not  his  :  but  thy  nature  —  thy  favored,  sacred,  and 
glorious  nature —  is  thine.  It  is  the  reality,  to  which  praise  is 
but  a  fleeting  breath.  Thou  canst  meditate  the  things  which 
applause  but  celebrates. 

In  that  thou  art  a  man,  thou  art  infinitely  exalted  above  what 
any  man  can  be,  in  that  he  is  praised.  I  would  rather  be 
the  humblest  man  in  the  world,  than  barely  be  thought  greater 
than  the  greatest.  The  beggar  is  greater  as  a  man,  than  is  the 
man  merely  as  a  king.  Not  one  of  the  crowds  that  listened  to 
the  eloquence  of  Demosthenes  and  Cicero,  —  not  one  who  has 
bent  with  admiration  over  the  pages  of  Homer  and  Shak- 
speure,  —  not  one  who  followed  in  the  train  of  Caesar  or  of 
Napoleon,  would  part  with  the  humblest  power  of  thought, 
for  all  the  fame  that  is  echoing  over  the  world  and  through 
the  ages. 

DBWKY. 

21 


INDEX. 


A. 

Abbreviations  require  periods  after 
them,  148,  149.  Remarks  on  the 
various  modes  of  forming,  272-276. 
Last  of,  277-300.  \Vords  in  copy, 
not  meant  to  be  printed  as  abbre 
viations,  should  be  written  in  full, 
304. 

"  Above  all."  as  an  adverbial  phrase, 
pointed  with  a  comma,  72,  a. 

Absolute  phrases,  69,  70. 

Accents,  239,  X. 

"  Accordingly,"  72,  a. 

Adjectives,  two,  without  a  conjunc 
tion  between  them,  33,  34,  d— g. 

Adjectives  in  a  series,  38,  e,f.  Con 
solidated  with  nouns,  215. 

Adjectival  phrases,  22,  VI.;  59,  60, 
j— m  i  69,  70. 

Adverbs,  29,  d  ;  30,  j ;  33,  d ;  34,  e,  j ; 
88,  v ,  /;  52,  g  1 ;  59,  i ;  72-74 ;  217, 
2  i  and  j. 

Adverbial  phrases,  22,  VI. ;  72-74. 

Affirmative  words  quoted  in  an  in 
terrogative  form,  156,  /.  Quoted 
in  an  exclamatory  form,  161,  «. 

"  Again,"  with  or  without  a  comma, 
in  accordance  with  the  connection, 
72,  a,  b.  Followed  by  a  colon, 
when  referring  to  several  sentences, 
131,  e. 

Algebraic  signs,  list  of,  301. 

"  Also,"  73,  e. 

"  And,"  between  two  words  of  the 
same  part  of  speech,  28-30.  Oc 
curring  in  a  series  of  words,  37,  38. 
Between  phrases  or  clauses  in  the 
name  construction,  98,  99.  Be 


tween  two  short  clauses,  a  verfc 
understood  in  the  last,  104,  c 
Between  two  clauses,  the  last  be 
ing  added  as  an  explanation,  113, 
114.  Beginning  sentences,  143,  o. 

Antithetic  or  contrasted  words  and 
expressions,  45-47;  79,/;  104,105; 
113,  114. 

Apostrophe,  rules  and  remarks  on 
the,  with  exercises,  198-207.  Im 
properly  used  in  certain  abbrevia 
tions,  149,  c  i  193,  199,  c— f;  270. 
Marks  the  possessive  case,  204, 205 ; 
216. 

Appellations  of  God  and  Christ,  ini 
tial  letters  in  the,  259,  260. 

Appellatives  before  and  after  proper 
names,  initials  of,  262,  c. 

Apposition,  23,  X. ;  41-43;  213. 

Apprentices  to  the  printing-businesa 
counselled,  11. 

Arabic  figures,  how  pointed,  112; 
149,  e  f  150,  IV  Dash  supplying 
the  place  of,  195.  Plurals  of,  how 
formed,  198,  b.  Small,  or  superi 
ors,  for  references,  240. 

Arithmetic,  the  points  to  be  used  in 
books  of,  141,  a. 

Arithmetical  signs,  301. 

"  As,"  signifying  in  the  manner  in 
w/u'cA,  89,  c  ,•  105,  d. 

"  As — as,"  u  as — so,"  the  correla 
tives,  93,  a ;  94,  c. 

"  As  well  as,"  between  two  words 
mutually  related,  45,  c.  Between 
a  word  and  a  phrase,  or  between 
two  phrases,  46,  e. 

u  As  yet,"  and  similar  phrases,  72,  a 


324 


INDEX. 


"  As,"  "  namely,"  &c.,  128;  138,  d. 

Asterisk,  the  uses  of  the,  240.  The 
three  asterisks,  237,  V. 

Astronomical  characters,  list  of,  302. 

"  At  present,"  72,  a. 

Authors,  the  duty  of,  to  point  their 
manuscripts  well,  7,  8;  304,  305. 
Are  assisted  in  composition  by  an 
acquaintance  with  the  art  of  punc 
tuation,  7,  8.  If  considerate,  they 
prepare  "  copy  "  so  as  to  be  per 
fectly  legible,  304-306.  And  cor 
rect  the  proof-sheets  with  all  pos 
sible  care,  adopting  the  precise 
marks  used  by  priuters,  312, 313. 


*'  Because,"  the  comma  sometimes 
omitted  before,  89,  e. 

14  Besides,"  used  as  a  preposition  or 
a  conjunction,  74,  j. 

Bible  references,  how  pointed,  100,  j ; 
150,  V.,  1;  151,  6,  c.  Chapters  of 
the  Bible  referred  to  by  numeral 
letters,  151,  b. 

Blank  at  the  beginning  of  a  poetical 
quotation,  when  the  first  portion 
is  omitted,  195,  b. 

Blunders  in  sense  caused  by  a  habit 
of  careless  punctuation,  3-6,  18. 
In  printing,  often  caused  by  ille 
gible  writing,  306. 

Books,  terms  relating  to,  270,  271. 
Captions,  subheads,  sideheads,  and 
running  titles,  270.  Signatures, 
and  names  of  sizes  of  volumes,  271. 

"  Boro',"  better  spelled  out,  199,  d. 

"  Both— and,"  the  correlatives,  29, 
*;94,  A. 

Brace,  for  what  purpose  used,  23) 

Brackets,  the  manner  of  applying 
them,  170, j;  235. 

Broken  sentences,  175. 

"  Brothers  "  in  a  firm,  41,  c. 

"  But,"  between  two  words  con 
trasted  or  mutually  related,  45,  c. 


Between  a  word  and  a  pnrase,  or 
between  two  phrases,  16,  e.  Be 
tween  two  short  clauses,  in  the 
last  of  which  a  verb  is  understood, 
104,  c.  Between  two  clauses,  the 
latter  being  added  by  way  of  con- 
wast,  113,  114.  Commencing  sen 
tences,  142,  143.  In  the  sense  cf 
except,  79,  g. 

"  But  also,"  35, 1. 

"  But  has,"  meaning  as  not  to  have, 
93,  b. 

C. 

Capitals,  their  uses  and  applications, 
257-269.  Used  as  reference-signs 
and  dominical  letters,  149, /.  Tho 
points  put  after  representative  or 
numeral  capitals,  149,  /;  151,  a. 
Capitals  used  instead  of  Arabic 
figures,  150,  V  ,  2;  268,  XII.  In 
titlepages,  inscriptions,  &c.,  268, 
XIII.  Words  wholly  in  capitals 
and  <nnall  capitals,  how  distin 
guished  in  manuscript,  269. 

Captions,  or  headings,  147,  270. 

Caret,  its  form  and  use,  237,  VI. :  304. 

Catalogues,  words  or  phrases  in,  of 
ten  followed  by  a  period,  147 
Names  omitted  in,  sometimes  sup 
plied  by  two  commas  or  by  long 
dashes,  236,  III.,  and  238,  VIII. 
Leaders  in,  238,  IX.  Abbrevia 
tions  serviceable  in,  272.  , 

"Catholic,"  the  initial  letter  of, 
265, /. 

Cedilla,  the,  239,  XII. 

Change  of  subject,  abrupt,  preceded 
by  a  dash,  175. 

Chanting  service  in  the  Liturgy,  a 
colon  inserted  in  each  verse  of,  141. 

"  Chapter,"  a  dash  commonly  put 
after  the  word  and  its  numeral, 
194,  d. 

Chapters  of  the  Bible  referred  to  by 
numeral  letters,  150,  V.,  1;  151,  b 

"  Church,"  initial  of,  265,  e. 


INDEX. 


32;j 


C£»n»c8,  definition  of,  21,  V.  Rela 
tive,  67-€0.  Parenthetical  or  in 
termediate,  64.  Vocative,  68.  One 
clause  depending  on  another,  89, 
90  Correlative,  93,  94.  In  the 
same  construction,  98;  100,  &,  I. 
One  having  a  verb  understood, 
104,  105.  Clauses  preceding  quo 
tations  or  remarks,  108,  109;  138. 
United  by  conjunctions,  113,  114. 
Divisible  into  simpler  portions, 
100, 1 ;  116,  117.  Series  of,  having 
a  common  dependence,  120,  121. 
Complete,  but  followed  by  a  re 
mark,  inference,  or  illustration, 
130,  131.  Constituting  members, 
134,  135.  Interrogative,  155,  156. 
Exclamatory,  159-161.  In  paren 
theses,  168,  169.  Concluding,  on 
which  other  expressions  depend, 
178. 

Colon,  rules  and  remarks  on  the, 
with  exercises,  129-141. 

Comma,  rules  and  remarks  on  the, 
with  exercises,  27-112.  An  in 
verted,  souvetimes  used  instead  of 
a.  email  c,  236,  II. 

Commas,  two,  used  under  names  to 
avoid  repetition,  236,  III.  In 
verted,  double  or  single,  as  quo 
tation-marks,  228,  230. 

Commencement  of  a  broken  quota 
tion  in  verse,  blank  at  the,  195,  b. 

Complete  sentences,  142, 143. 

Compositors,  a  knowledge  of  punc 
tuation  necessary  to,  in  their 
business,  8,  9.  Their  skill  in  the 
art  conducive  to  mental  vigor, 
9-11. 

Compound  sentences,  what  they  are, 
21,  III. 

Compound  and  derivative  words, 
distinction  between,  23,  XII.  ; 
208,  b. 

Compound  words,  rule  and  remarks 
ou,  209-218.  Exceptions  to  the 


rule,  211,  212.  Compound  adjec 
tives  and  compound  nouns,  212. 
Nouns  and  pronouns  in  apposi 
tion,  213.  Nouns  used  adjectively, 

213,  214.       Numeral    adjectives, 

214.  Adjectives  consolidated  with 
nouns,  215.     Names  of  places,  215, 
216.    The  possessive  case,  216,  217. 
Compound  and  other  phrases,  217, 
218.     Exercises  on,  221-223. 

Conjoined  members  of  sentences, 
134,  135. 

Conjunctions  to  be  pointed,  when 
separated  by  other  words  from  the 
parts  to  which  they  belong,  65,  </. 
Joining  words  of  the  same  part 
of  speech,  28-30 ;  37,  38.  Between 
contrasted  or  related  words  and 
phrases,  45,  46,  c,  e,  /,  g,  j.  Used 
as  adverbs,  73,  A,  i.  As  correla 
tives,  93,  94.  Joining  phrases  and 
words,  98,  99.  Joining  clauses, 
89,  90,  e,  f;  104,  c ,•  108,  109,  rf,  e,- 
113, 114.  Joining  sentences,  126,  c. 
Beginning  sentences,  134,  b ;  143. 

"  Consequently,"  how  punctuated, 
72,  a. 

Construction  of  a  sentence,  what  it 
is,  23,  XIII.  Illustrated,  98,  a. 

Contents  of  books,  chapters,  or  sec 
tions,  how  pointed,  148,  b. 

Contractions  and  abbreviations,  re 
marks  on,  272-276.  Table  of, 
277^300. 

Contrasted  words  and  expressions, 
45-47;  79,/,-  104,  105;  113,  114. 

Co-ordinate  or  consecutive  clauses, 
22,  V. ;  100,  A. 

Copy,  hints  on  the  preparation  of. 


Corrector  of  the  press,  duties  of  a, 
11,12;  308-315. 

Correlative  clauses  and  words  ex 
plained,  21-23,  V.  and  IX.  Then 
punctuation,  93,  94. 

Crotchets,  or  brackets,  170,  j;  285 


82G 


INDEX. 


D. 

Dagger,  the  uses  of  the,  240. 

Dash,  rules  and  remarks  on  the,  with 
exercises,  174-196.  What  points, 
if  any,  are  used  with  dashes,  176, 
a,  b;  178,  a;  182,  a— c;  186,  187; 
191,  c. 

D  ites.  79,  j ;  80,  k ;  100,  j ;  112 ;  149,  e  ; 
150,151;  195;  275. 

Denials,  pounds  aud  shillings,  how 
pointed,  150,  IV. 

Definition  of  the  art  of  punctuation, 
2,  19. 

Definitions  of  terms  used  in  the  pre 
sent  work,  20-23. 

Dependent  clauses,  21, 22,  V. ;  89, 90 ; 
120,  121. 

Derivative  words,  how  distinguished 
from  compounds,  23,  XII. ;  208,  b. 
Prefixes  in,  219,  220.  Exercises  on 
derivatives  and  compounds,  221- 
223. 

Designations  of  religious  and  politi 
cal  parties,  initial  letters  of  the, 
263,  a;  265,  e— li. 

"  Devil"  and  "  devils,"  the  initials 
of,  262,  a. 

Diuresis,  use  of  the,  200,  g ;  219,  a  ; 
239,  XI. 

«  Divine,"  "  Divine  Being,"  &c., 
the  initial  letters  of,  260,  e,  /. 

Division  of  words  into  syllables,  ac 
cording  to  their  pronunciation, 
224.  According  to  their  form, 
derivation,  or  meaning,  225.  At 
ends  of  lines,  226.  Exercises  on 
the,  226,  227. 

Dominical  letters,  pointed  not  as  ab 
breviations,  but  signs,  149, /. 
*  Doubtless,"  72,  a,  6. 

E. 

Echo,  or  rhetorical  repetition,  182, 
183.  What  points  are  used  with 
the  dash  after  it,  182,  a — c.  Echo 
of  the  thought,  183,  c. 


"Ed,"  ued,"  &c.,  the  terminations 
of  participles  in  verse,  199-201. 
g— '• 

"Either,"  "even,"  beginning  a  flna] 
phrase,  79,  c. 

"Either — or,"  the  correlatives,  £9, 
g  ;  94,  h. 

Elision  of  letters  in  poetry  and  dia 
logue,  198,  199. 

Ellipsis  of  "  namely,"  "  that  is," 
&c.,  191.  Of  letters,  figures,  or 
words,  195;  238,  VIII.  Of  words 
at  the  beginning  of  poetical  quo 
tations,  195,  l>.  Marks  of,  how 
formed,  195;  238,  VIII. 

Epigrammatic  sentences,  175. 

"  Eternal,"  the  initial  letter  of,  as  an 
adjective  applied  to  God,  260,  e. 

"Ev'ry,"  the  apostrophe  in,  199,/. 

Example,  the  punctuation  of  words 
introducing  an,  128,  138,  191. 
A  poetical,  marked  with  inverted 
commas,  229,  g.  The  initial  letter 
of  the  first  word  in  an,  267,  XI. 

Exclamation,  the  note  of,  rule  and 
remarks  on,  with  exercises,  150- 
163.  Sometimes  improperly  used, 
159,  a ;  161,  d. 

Exercises  on  the  definitions,  24,  25. 
On  the  comma,  31,  32;  35,  36;  39, 
40;  43,44;  47-49;  54-56;  61-63; 
66,67;  68;  70,71;  74-77;  80-82; 
86-88;  90-92;  95-97;  100-103;  105 
-107;  109-111;  112.  On  the  semi 
colon,!^  115;  117,118;  122;  126, 
127 ;  128.  On  the  comma  and  the 
semicolon,  119;  123,  124.  On  the 
colon,  131-133;  138;  139,140.  On 
the  semicolon  and  the  colon,  137. 
On  the  period,  143-116;  151,  152. 
On  the  notes  of  interrogation  and 
exclamation,  1£7.  158;  162,  163 
164-166.  On  the  marks  of  paren 
thesis,  171-173.  On  the  dash,  170, 
177;  179,  180;  183-185;  188,  189; 
'  192;  195,  196.  On  the  semicolon 


INDEX. 


327 


and  dash,  181.  On  the  dash  and 
its  accompanying  point,  189,  190; 
193.  On  the  apostrophe,  201-203 ; 
205-207.  On  the  hyphen,  221- 
223 ;  226,  227.  On  marks  of  quota 
tion,  233,  234.  General,  241-264. 

Explanation  of  proof-marks,  316-318. 

"  Expression,"  meaning  of  the  word, 
22,  VII. 

Expressions,  inverted,  83-85.  Cor 
relative,  93,  94.  Divided  into  sim 
pler  parts,  116,  117.  Having  a 
common  dependence,  120, 121 ;  178. 
In  the  form  of  questions,  155, 156. 
Indicating  passion  or  emotion,  159 
-161. 

Extracts,  consisting  of  words  or 
expressions,  228-231.  Composed 
of  successive  paragraphs,  232. 

P. 

'  Father,"  "  Fathers,"  distinctions 

made  in  the  initials  of,  260,  g ; 

262,  c. 
Figures,   Arabic,    how   punctuated, 

112 ;  150,  IV.     Not  abbreviations, 

149,  e;  150,  IV. 
Final  phrases,  70,  g;  78-80.   Clauses, 

89,90. 
"First,"  "finally,"  "for  the  most 

part,"  often  pointed  with  commas, 

72,o. 
u  First  Cause,     Father  of  mercies," 

the  initials  of,  260, /,  g. 
First  word  in  a  book,  tract,  &c., 

258,  I       In    phrases    or    clauses 
separately  numbered,   258,  I.,  b. 
After  a  period,  or  note  of  interro 
gation  or  exclamation,  258,  II.  b  ; 

259,  e. 

"  For,"  between  two  clauses,  the 
latter  being  explanatory,  113, 114. 
Beginning  sentences,  134,  b ;  143,  e, 

Foreign  words  that  have  been  Ang 
licized  by  contraction,  149,  d. 

•'  Formerly,"  often  unpointed,  72,  c. 


General  exercises,  241-254. 

Genitive  case,  rule  and  remarks  ou 
the  sign  of  the,  with  exercises, 
204-207. 

Geographical  and  geometrical  signs, 
301. 

"  God,"  when  used  with  a  capital, 
and  when  with  a  small  initial, 
259,o. 

"  Gospel,"  initial  of,  varied  in  ac 
cordance  with  its  meaning,  264,  d. 

Governing  words,  the  last  of  two  or 
more,  33,  d;  34,  e;  38,4'. 

Grammar,  some  acquaintance  with, 
necessary  to  a  knowledge  of  punc 
tuation,  20. 

Grammatical  punctuation  different 
from  rhetorical,  15-17;  27,  28. 

Grammatical  points,  rules  and  re 
marks  on  the,  with  exercises,  26- 
152. 

Grammatical  and  rhetorical  points, 
rules  and  remarks  on  the,  with 
exercises,  153-196. 

n. 

Hand,  or  index,  237,  IV. 
Headings  and  subheads,  147,  270. 
Heads  of  chapters,  sections,  articles, 

put  entirely  on  capitals  or  small 

capitals,  268,  XIII. 
"  Heaven,"  not  to  be  printed  Aear'n, 

199, /.    The  initial  letter  of,  260,  d; 

262,  b. 
"  Heavenly  "  should  have  a  small 

initial,  260,  e. 

"  Hence,"  "  here,"  73,  e,f. 
"  However,"    the  pointing  of,  as  a 

conjunction  and  an  adverb,  73,  A. 
Hints  on  the  preparation  of  copy, 

and  on  proof-reading,  303-315. 
"  Holy  Spirit,"  "  Holy  Ghost,"  the 

initials  of,  usually  put  in  capitals, 

260,  t. 
"How,"  109,  g\  160,6. 


328 


INDEX. 


Eyphen,  rules  end  remarks  on  the, 
with  exercises,  208-227.  As  used 
in  compound  words,  209-218.  In 
derivatives,  219,  220.  In  syllabi 
cation,  224-226. 

I. 

*  I.  e.,""  that  is,"  128;  138,  d. 
"If,"  89,  a,  e;  109,  g. 
Imperative  absolute,  69,  b. 
Importance  of  punctuation,  1-18. 
4  In  conclusion,"  when  put  at  the 

beginning  of  a  paragraph,  131,  e. 
«  In  fine,"  "  in  short,"  "  in  truth," 

u  in  general,"  &c.,  usually  pointed 

with  commas,  72,  a. 
'*  In  order  that,"  90,  g,  A. 
u  In  order  to,"  79,  t. 
u  Indeed,"  as  an  adverb  and  as  a 

conjunction,  73,  A. 
Independent  phrases,  69,  70. 
Independent  sentences,  142. 
Index,  or  hand,  use  of  the,  237,  IV. 
Indirect  quotations,  questions,  &c., 

108,6;  109,5-;  155,6;  229,6. 
"  Indisputably,"  72,  a. 
"  Infinite  One,"  begun  with  capital 

letters,  260, /. 
tnitial  letters  of  words,  when  to  be 

capitalized,  257-267. 
Inscriptions,  capitals  and  small  ca 
pitals  used  in,  268,  XIII. 
Institutions,  principal  words  in  the 

rules  and  reports  of,  261,  a. 
Interlineations  to  be  made  in  copy 

with  great  distinctness,  304. 
Interlocutors,  names  of,  194,  c. 
Intermediate  words,  phrases,  and 

clauses,  22,  VIII.;    46,  j;    50,  c; 

67,  6;  68,  e;  64,  65;  69,  d— /;  72, 

XI.,  d;  73,  g— i;  186,  187. 
Interrogation-point,   rules    and    re 
marks    on    the,    with    exercises, 

164-158. 
Inverted  expressions,  83-85.    When 

the  comma  should  be  omitted  in, 


84,  d;  85, /.    When  inserted,  84,  e 
86,* 

Italics,  how  distinguished  in  manu  • 
script,  269.  To  be  sparingly  used, 
22 J,  d— f-  269,  270. 

K  and  L. 

"  King,"  sometimes  put  with  a  capi 
tal  K,  and  sometimes  with  a  small 
one,  259,  b  •  261,  b. 

Language,  oral,  rendered  more  ex 
pressive  by  variation  of  tones, 
inflections,  and  pauses,  1, 2.  Writ 
ten  or  printed,  elucidated  by 
points,  2. 

Larger  portions  of  sentences,  116, 
117. 

Leaders,  or  dots,  238,  IX. 

Letter-writers  cause  trouble  by  their 
loose  style  of  pointing,  5. 

Letter,  syllabSc,and  quotation  points, 
rules  and  remarks  on  the,  with 
exercises,  197-234. 

Letters  of  the  alphabet,  sometimes 
sigus,  not  abbreviations,  149,  /. 
Used  instead  of  Arabic  figures  or 
numeral  words,  150,  151. 

"  Lord,"  "  lady,"  iuitials  of,  259,  b 
261,  IV.,  b. 

Lunar  signs,  302. 

M. 

"  Madam,"  the  initial  of,  261,  IV.,  b. 

Marks,  not  pointed  as  abbreviations, 
150, IV. 

Marks,  miscellaneous,  explanation 
of,  235-240.  Arithmetical  and 
other,  301. 

Marks  of  parenthesis,  rule  and  re 
marks  on  the,  with  exercises,  167- 
174. 

Marks  of  quotation,  rules  and  obser 
vations  on  the,  with  exercises, 
228-234. 

Marks,  typographical,  explained  an/] 
exemplified,  316-321. 


INDEX. 


329 


MatheV>dcal  signs,  801. 

Medical  signs,  301. 

Members  of  sentences,  explanation 
of,  21,  IV.  Conjoined,  134,  135. 

Miscellaneous  abbreviations,  list  of, 
277-300. 

Miscellaneous  marks,  235-240. 

<k  More,  greater,  &c., — than,"  the 
correllatives,  93,  a ;  94,  </,  e. 

"  More,  the,— the  better,"  the  cor 
relatives,  93,  a. 

«  Most  High,"  "  Highest,"  applied 
to  God,  begin  with  capitals,  260, /. 

N. 

N,  the  Spanish,  239,  XIH. 

"  Namely,"  128;  138,  d;  191. 

Names  of  the  grammatical  points, 
and  whence  borrowed,  26.  Of  in 
terlocutors,  the  dash  unnecessary 
after,  194,  c.  Of  persons  and  places 
begun  with  capital  letters,  262. 
Compound,  of  places,  215.  Names 
of  Bizes  of  books,  271. 

"  Nature,"  with  a  capital  or  a  small 
n,  260,  e. 

"  Neither  —  nor,"  the  correlatives, 
29,  g\  93,  a;  94,  A. 

u  No,"  when  equivalent  to  a  sen 
tence,  130,  d. 

Nominative  and  verb,  50-54.  Abso 
lute  or  independent,  69,  a,  c. 

Nominative  clause,  what  it  is,  21,  V. ; 
60,  o.  Phrase,  22,  VI. ;  50,  o. 

"  Nor,"  between  two  words  of  the 
same  part  of  speech,  28,  29.  In  a 
series  of  words,  37,  38.  As  a  cor 
relative,  93,  a;  94,  A.  Between 
phrases  and  words  in  the  same 
construction,  98,  ft;  99,  g.  Be 
tween  two  short  clauses,  a  verb 
being  understood  in  the  latter, 
104,  c. 

*  Not,"  between  two  words  con 
trasted  or  mutually  related,  46.  d. 
Preceding  the  first  of  two  con 


trasted  words  or  phrases,  46,  /,  A* 
and  t. 

Notes  of  interrogation  and  exclama 
tion,  difference  between  the,  154. 
Rule."  and  remarks  on  the,  with 
exercises,  155-166. 

"  Notwithstanding,"  74,  j. 

Nouns  in  apposition,  41,  42;  213. 
In  the  possessive  case,  204,  205; 
216.  Compound,  212.  Used  ad- 
jectively,  213.  Gentile,  initials 
of,  263. 

"  Now,"  as  an  adverb  and  a  con 
junction,  73,  A. 

"  Now  and  then,"  72,  a. 

Number  of  a  house  or  shop  and  the 
name  of  street,  100,  j. 

Numeral  adjectives,  with  respect  to 
the  hyphen,  214. 

Numeral  figures  and  words,  how 
pointed,  112. 

0. 

"  0  "  and  "  oh,"  in  what  they  differ, 
and  how  pointed,  160,  e. 

Obelisk,  or  dagger,  240. 

Objections  to  the  study  of  punctua- 
tion  answered,  12-14. 

Objective  absolute  or  independent, 
69, /. 

"  Of,"  having  before  it  a  verb  under 
stood,  105,  e. 

"  Of  late,"  "  of  course,"  &c.,  72,  a. 

"  Of  which,"  "  of  whom,"  59,  A. 

Omission  of  "  namely  "  or  "  that 
is,"  191.  Of  letters,  figures,  or 
words  195;  238,  VIII.  Of  words 
in  the  first  line  of  a  poetical  quo 
tation,  195,  b. 

"  On  the  one  hand,"  "  on  the  con 
trary,"  &c.,  72,  a. 

"  Once  more,"  put  at  the  beginning 
of  several  sentences,  131,  e. 

"  Or,"  28-30;  37,  38;  94,  A;  98-100, 
b,g.i;  104.  c. 

"  Ortholox,"  initial  of.  286,  g. 


330 


INDEX. 


"  Pagan,"  initial  of,  265,  g. 

Pairs,  words  in,  united  by  conjunc 
tions.  38,  i,  j ;  99,  i.  Contrasted 
by  prepositions,  46,  g. 

Paragraph-mark,  240,  304. 

Paragraphs  sometimes  connected  by 
a  dash,  194,  b.  To  be  distinctly 
marked  in  manuscript,  304,  305. 

Parallel  lines,  240,  301. 

Parentheses  and  parenthetical  ex 
pressions,  difference  between,  64, 
a,  6. 

Parenthesis,  marks  of,  rules  and  ob 
servations  on  the,  with  exercises, 
167-173.  How  points  are  to  be 
used  with,  168,  169. 

Parenthetical  words  and  expressions, 
22,  VIII. ;  46,  j;  60,  c;  57,  b-  64, 
66;  69,  d—f;  186, 187.  The  com 
mas  often  omitted  before  and  after 
short,  65,  e. 

Participles  used  relatively,  60,  j— m. 

Participial  phrases,  22,  VI. ;  69,  70. 

Particulars  of  a  series,  23,  XI. ;  37, 
38;  58,  d;  98,  99;  120,  121;  125, 
126. 

Pauses  marked  and  unmarked,  15, 
16;  61,52. 

'»  Perhaps,"  72,  c,  d. 

Period,  rules  and  remarks  on  the, 
with  exercises,  142-152. 

Persons  and  places,  initial  letters  of 
the  names  of,  262. 

Phrase,  definition  of  a,  22,  VI. 

Phrases  in  apposition,  41-43.  In 
contrast,  45-47.  Adjectival,  par 
ticipial,  and  absolute,  69,  70.  Ad- 
Terbial,  72.  Final,  78-80;  70,  g. 
Inverted.  83-85.  Having  the  im 
port  of  conditional  clauses,  85,  g\ 
89,  b.  In  the  same  construction, 
98-100.  In  titlepages,  catalogues, 
&c.,  147.  Distinguished  by  Ita 
lics  or  by  inverted  commas,  229. 

Plunetary  signs  and  aspects,  302. 


Plurals  of  letters  of  the  alphabet  and 
of  Arabic  figures,  198,  b.  Of  nounn 
and  pronouns  in  the  possessive 
case,  205.  All  plural  nouns  to  bo 
clearly  written  in  copy,  304. 

Poetical  quotations  beginning  with 
a  broken  line,  195,  b. 

Poetry  requires  more  semicolons  and 
colons  than  prose,  125,  b.  When 
to  be  marked  with  inverted  com 
mas,  229,  g. 

Points,  enumeration  of  the,  26,  153, 
197. 

Political  parties,  initials  of  the  names 
of,  2G5,  A. 

Possessive  case,  42,  A;  204,  205;  216, 
217. 

"  Power  "  not  to  be  written  pow'r, 
199, /. 

Prefixes  in  derivative  words,  219, 
220. 

Prepositions,  two,  joined  by  "  and," 
"  or,"  "  nor,"  29,  b. 

Primitive  word,  what  it  is,  23,  XII. 

Pronoun  /,  and  interjection  O,  265. 

Pronouns  in  appositional  phrases, 
41,  42.  In  the  possessive  case, 
205,  e.  Referring  to  God  and 
Christ,  261,  j. 

Pronouns,  relative,  57^59. 

Proof-readers,  a  knowledge  of  punc 
tuation  indispensable  to,  11,  12. 

Proof-reading,  hints  on,  308-315. 

Proof-marks  explained,  316-318.  Ex 
emplified,  320.  Corrected,  321. 

Proper  names  in  apposition,  41,  42. 
In  an  address,  68.  In  signatures 
to  documents,  147,  148.  When 
pronounced  in  accordance  with 
their  abbreviated  forms,  149,  g. 
In  the  possessive  case,  204,  216. 
The  simples  of,  when  to  be  con 
solidated,  and  when  to  be  hy 
phened,  215,  216.  To  be  correctly 
spelled  and  clearly  written  in  co 
py,  302. 


JNDEX. 


831 


Prosopopoeia, or  personification,  266, 
267. 

"  Providence  "  and  "  providential," 
the  initials  of,  260,  d,  e. 

Punctuation,  its  importance,  1-17. 
What  it  is,  and  what  its  aim,  2, 19. 
Useful  to  all,  but  much  neglected, 
8-5.  Even  by  authors  and  print 
ers,  6,  6.  Means  of  acquiring  a 
knowledge  of  its  principles,  6,  7. 
Appeal,  on  its  behalf,  to  authors, 
journeymen  compositors,  appren 
tices,  and  proof-readers,  7-12.  Ob 
jections  to  the  study  of  it  stated 
and  answered,  12-14.  Its  essen 
tial  principles  fixed,  14.  Imper 
fectly  treated  by  grammarians,  14. 
Regarded  by  speakers  in  a  false 
light,  15.  Confounded  with  rhe 
torical,  15, 16.  Determined  chiefly 
by  grammatical  principles,  16,  17. 
Illustrated,  4,  18.  Exemplified  in 
general  exercises,  241-254. 

Q 

Qualifying  words,  two,  without  a  con 
junction,  33,  d;  34,  e— g.  Three, 
88,  e,  /. 

Quantity,  marks  of,  239,  XI. 

Questions,  154-156.  Indirect,  155,  b. 
Assertive  in  form,  156,  c.  Con 
taining  an  affirmative  quotation, 
156,  /.  Introducing  quotations, 
156,  g. 

Question  and  answer  in  the  same 
paragraph,  194,  a. 

Quotations,  clauses  preceding,  108; 
138;  191,  e. 

Quotations,  read  as  interrogatory, 
which  were  originally  affirmative, 
1G6,  /.  Indirect,  229,  b ;  267,  a. 
Quotations  within,  230,  231.  The 
initial  in  the  first  word  of,  267,  XI. 

Quotation,  the  marks  of,  rules  and 
observations  on,  with  exercises, 
22S-234. 


Reader  of  proof-sheets,  matters  to  be 
attended  to  by  the,  11,  12;   SOS- 
SIS. 
Reading-boy,  directions  to  the,  In 

reading  copy  aloud,  309,  310. 
Reference-marks,  240. 
References  to  books,  chapters,  and 
verses  in  the  Bible,  100,  j ;  151, 6,  e ; 
274.    To  other  works,  268,  XII.,  a; 
273. 

Relative  clause,  definition  of  a,  21,  V. 
Explaining  the  antecedent,  57,  $  I., 
and  a,  b.  Restricting  the  ante 
cedent,  67,  $  II.,  and  a;  58,  c. 
Whose  antecedent  consists  of  par 
ticulars,  58,  d. 

Relative  pronoun  followed  by  an  ex 
pression  enclosed  by  commas,  58,  e. 
Separated  by  several  words  from 
its  grammatical  antecedent,  58, /; 
69,  g.  "  Of  which,"  "  of  whom," 
69,  ft.  Adverb  put  for  a  preposi 
tion  and  relative,  69,  i.  Relative 
and  verb  understood,  69,  j;  60, 
1, 77i.  Present  participle  used  for 
a  relative  and  verb,  60.  *.  The 
relative  only  understood,  60,  n. 
"  Such  as,"  denoting  that  tc/u'cA, 
60,o. 

Remarks,  short,  108,  109. 
Remarks  formally  introduced,  138. 
Repetition  of  nominative  in  a  differ 
ent  form,  53,  g  8,  A.    Of  words  or 
phrases,  34,  i,  j;  182,183. 
Representative  letters,  and  abbrevia 
tions,  272-300. 
"  Revelation,"  initial  of  the  word, 

264,  d. 
Rhetorical   punctuation   contrasted 

with  grammatical,  15-17. 
Rules  and  reports  of  societies,  initial 
letters  of  the  principal  words  in, 
261,  a. 

Running  titles,  or  headlines,  expla 
nation  of,  270,  ILL 


882 


INDEX. 


««  Scriptures  »  and  "  Sacred  Writ 
ings,"  initials  of,  264,  c. 
•«  Section,"  the  dash  put  after  the 
number  of,  in  a  headline,  194,  d. 

Section-mark,  240. 

Semicolon,  rules  and  remarks  on  the, 
with  exercises,  113-128. 

Sentences  defined,  20,  I.  and  II.; 
21,  III.  Consisting  each  of  two 
clauses  joined  by  "  for,"  "  but," 
or  "and,"  113.  Short,  slightly 
connected  in  sense  or  in  construc 
tion,  125,  126.  Complete  and  in 
dependent,  142.  Interrogative  and 
exclamatory,  154-161.  Used  as 
parentheses,  169,  f—h.  Broken 
and  epigrammatic,  175. 

Series,  the  term,  defined,  23,  XI. 

Series  of  words  of  the  same  part  of 
speech,  37,  38.  Of  phrases  and 
clauses,  98,  99.  Of  expressions 
haying  a  common  dependence, 
120, 121 ;  178. 

Short  quotations  or  remarks,  108, 
109;  228,229;  267,  XI.,  a,  b. 

Short  sentences,  slightly  connected, 
125, 126. 

Sideheads  and  subheads,  194,  270. 

Signatures  to  documents,  how  punc 
tuated,  147,  148. 

Signatures,  letters  of  the  alphabet  or 
Arabic  figures  for  the  accommo 
dation  of  the  bookbinder,  271. 

Significant  pauses,  175;  191,  a. 

Signs,  medical,  arithmetical,  alge 
braic,  and  geometrical,  301.  As 
tronomical,  302. 

Simple  word,  what  it  is,  23,  XII. 

Simpler  parts  into  which  expressions 
are  sometimes  divisible,  116,  117. 

Sizes  of  books,  names  of  various,  271. 

"  So— as,"  "  so— that,"  the  correla 
tives,  93,  o;  94,  c,/,  g. 

Societies,  principal  words  in  the  rules 
and  reports  of,  261,  a. 


"  Son  of  man,"  when  used  of  Christ 
how  to  be  written  and  printed, 
200,  A. 

Songs,  ballads,  and  hymns,  often 
pointed  with  semicolons  and  co 
lons,  125,  b. 

Specification  of  subjects,  or  name* 
of  things,  128;  138,  d,  e. 

Specimen  of  proof-sheet,  320,  321. 

"  Spirit,"  "  Holy  Spirit,"  and  "  Spi 
rit  of  God,"  usually  begun  with 
capital  letters,  260,  i. 

Star,  or  asterisk,  240. 

Stars,  the  three,  or  N.B.,  237,  V. 

Subject  and  predicate,  50-54.  With 
separable  or  inseparable  adjuncts, 
60,  51.  Exceptions  to  the  rule  on 
the,  52,  53.  Subject  repeated,  58, 
g  8,  A.  The  copula,  or  a  verb  in 
the  infinitive  mood,  54,  j.  Abrupt 
change  of  subject,  176. 

"  Such  as,"  denoting  that  which, 
60,o. 

"  Such— as  "  and  "  such— that,"  the 
correlatives,  93,  o;  94, /. 

"  Sunday  "  and  "  sabbath,"  the  inl 
tials  of,  263,  e. 

Superior  figures  and  letters,  used 
references,  240. 

Suspension  of  sense,  175,  191. 

Syllabication,  rules  and  remarks  on, 
224-226.  Exercises  on,  226,  227. 

T. 

Table  of  abbreviations,  277-300.    Of 

signs  and  characters,  301,  302. 
Technical  expressions  to  be  correctly 

spelled  and  clearly  written  in  copy, 

304. 
"  Terms  "  and  "  expressions,"  how 

used  in  the  present  work,  22,  VII. 
Terms  relating  to  books,  their  sizes, 

&c.,  270.  271. 
Terminations  "  ed,"   "  Ad,"    "  'd," 

and  "  t,"  the  participial,  occurring 

in  poetry,  199,  £•;  200,201. 


INDEX. 


333 


Th',"  and  "  t',"  the  elision  of  the 
e  and  o  in,  unnecessary,  199, /. 

'*  That,,"  denoting  purpose  or  de 
sign,  90,  /.  Introducing  a  quota 
tion  or  a  remark,  108,  109,  a— «; 
267,  a. 

"  That  is,"  "to  wit,"  &c.,  72,  a; 
128;  138,  d;  191. 

"  The  more— the  better,"  93,  o. 

"  Then,"  "  now,"  "  too,"  "  there 
fore,"  73,  A,  i. 

"  There  "  and  "  here,"  73,/. 

"  Though,"  between  two  words  con 
trasted  or  mutually  related,  45,  e. 
Preceding  the  first  of  two  con 
trasted  words  or  phrases,  46,  /. 

"  Though — yet,"  the  correlatives, 
93,  a. 

"  Though"  and  "  through,"  impro 
perly  contracted  tho\  thro\  198,  c. 

Three  stars,  how  used,  237. 

•'  Till,"  not  preceded  by  an  apos 
trophe,  199,  e. 

Titles  of  eminent  men,  abbreviated, 
148,  «;  274. 

Titles  of  honor  and  respect,  initial 
letters  in,  261,  262. 

Titles  of  books,  names  of  ships,  &c., 
to  be  quoted,  229,  e. 

Titles  of  books,  initials  of  the  leading 
words  in,  264,  b. 

Titlepages,  authors'  names  in,  how 
pointed,  147.  Words  in,  displayed 
entirely  with  capitals  and  small 
capitals,  268,  XIII. 

«•  To,"  signifying  in  order  to,  79,  A. 

"  To-day  "  and  "  to-morrow,"  com 
monly  used  without  points,  74,  I. 

"  To  proceed,"  "  to  conclude,"  "  to 
rum  up  all,"  introducing  a  para 
graph,  70,  t;  131,  «. 

"To  wit,"  128;  138,  d. 

Transposed  or  inverted  expressions, 
83-85. 

Two  words,  of  the  same  part  of 
pp*»ch,  connected  by  the  conjunc 


tion*  "  and,"  "  or,"  "  nor,"  28-80i 
Not  connected  by  a  conjunction, 
33-55. 

Two  brief  phrases,  united  by  "  and," 
"  or,"  "  nor,"  98,  b ;  99,  c. 

Two  clauses,  one  depending  on  the 
other,  89,  90.  Joined  by  "  and,'* 
"  or,"  "  nor,"  "  but;"  a  verb  be 
ing  understood,  104,  c.  United  by 
"  for,"  "  but,"  or  "  and,"  113, 
114.  Related,  but  not  joined  by 
a  conjunction,  130,  131. 

Two  conjoined  members  of  sen 
tences,  134, 135. 

Typographical  marks  explained.  31'J 
-518.  Exemplified,  320.  Correct 
ed,  321-. 

U  and  V. 

Uses  of  capital  letters,  257-269.  Of 
Italics,  269,  270. 

Verb  and  its  nominative,  50-54 
Understood,  104,  105. 

"  Tiz."  or  "  namely,"  preceding  an 
example  or  a  specification  of  par 
ticulars,  128 ;  138,  d.  Understood, 
1J1. 

Vocative  words  and  expressions,  usu 
ally  pointed  with  commas,  68,  IX. 
When  denoting  strong  emotion, 
with  notes  of  exclamation,  68,  a; 
160,  c.  The  personal  pronoun  in 
vocative  expressions,  42,  j. 

W. 

"  What,"  "  when,"  "  where,"  indi 
cating  indirect  questions  or  re 
marks,  109,  g. 

"  What,"  used  in  an  exclamatory 
sense,  160,  b. 

"  When,"  "  where,"  "  wherever," 
&c.,  in  the  latter  of  two  clauses. 
89,  c,  d. 

"  Whether— or,"  the  correlatives, 
94,  A. 

"  Without  doubt,"  72,  a. 


334 


INDEX. 


r<  Word,"  the  Initial  of,  when  de 
noting  either  the  Logos  or  the 
Bible,  264,  c. 

Words  in  a  series,  37,  38.  In  appo 
sition,  41-43.  In  contrast,  or 
having  a  mutual  relation  toothers, 
45-47.  Correlative,  93,  94.  Omit 
ted,  79,  80,  j,  k ;  104, 105 ;  191 ;  195. 
Numeral,  when  they  are  to  be  pre 
ferred  to  Arabic  figures,  112,  c; 
149,  e.  Specification  of  words,  128. 
Words  thrown  obliquely  into  the 
body  of  a  sentence,  168-170.  Re 
peated  rhetorically,  182,  183.  Com 
pound  209-218.  Derivative,  219, 


220.  Borrowed  from  a  speaker  01 
an  author,  228-231.  \Vords  of  pri 
mary  importance,  initial  letters  in, 
264,  265. 

Y  and  Z. 

"  Yes,"  "  no,"  when  equivalent  to 
sentences,  how  pointed,  130,  d. 

"  Yesterday,"  not  separated  by  a 
comma,  74,  I. 

"  Yet,"  between  two  words  con 
trasted  or  mutually  related,  45,  c. 
Between  two  contrasted  words,  thf 
first  preceded  by  though,  46,  /. 

Zodiac,  signs  of  the,  SOU. 


T  II  K      K  N  D. 


27TH   EDITION,  PAGES  xii.  AND  334,  16sio. 

Crratise  mt  (Bnijlisjj  ^mutilation; 

DESIGNED   FOB 

LETTER-WRITERS,  AUTHORS,  PRINTERS,  AND  CORRECTORS  OF  THE 

PRESS;   AND  FOR  THE  USE  OF  SCHOOLS 

AND  ACADEMIES. 

WITH    AN    APPENDIX, 

OOHTiimWO 

Rules  on  the  Use  of  Capitals,  a  List  of  Abbreviations,  Hints  on  Preparing 
Copy  and  on  Proof -readiny,  Specimen  of  Proof -Sheet,  <fc. 

BY  JOHN   WILSON. 

NOTICES     OP     PRECEDING     EDITIONS. 

This  is  undoubtedly  the  most  complete  work  yet  published  on  the  subject, 
both  as  regards  the  amount  of  instruction  conveyed,  and  the  lucid  arraiigiv 
ment  adopted;  and  we  cannot  commend  it  too  highly  for  general  use,  the 
more  especially  as  the  typographical  execution  of  the  work  in  so  superior.  — 
Norton's  Literary  Gaiettc. 

Rarely  have  we  seen  a  book  so  attractive  to  the  eye.  Its  rules  of  punctua 
tion  are,  in  the  main,  accurate  and  perspicuous,  —  far  superior  to  any  other 
system  of  directions  which  we  have  read  on  this  theme.  The  volume  contains 
much  information  on  the  mtuatue  of  literature,  with  which  every  scholar 
ought  to  be  familiar,  but  of  which  many  eminent  authors  are  lamentably 
ignorant.  We  know  not  where  so  many  particulars  relating  to  the  JinUfi  of 
copy  for  the  press  can  be  learned.  A  study  of  this*  volume  would  save  youth 
ful  scholars  from  many  careless  and  uncouth  habits  of  writing.  The  spirit 
and  genius  of  the  English  language  are  intimately  connected  with  some  of  the 
questions  involved  in  an  accurate  punctuation.  lie  who  can  punctuate  accu 
rately  can  write  perspicuously.  —  Bibliutheca  Sacra. 

A  treatise  that  proposes  to  familiarize  the  principles  of  Punctuation,  easily 
accessible  in  price  and  readily  intelligible  in  its  composition,  cannot  be  other 
than  welcome  to  all  who  write  or  print;  and  Mr.  Wilson's  is  certainly  the 
most  comprehensive  and  the  most  instructive  that  has  come  under  our 
observation.  ...  It  is  prepared  with  great  care  and  good  judgment,  and  no 
printing-office  ought  to  be  without  it;  as,  from  ita  simple  arrangement,  the 
compositor  and  reader  will  be  enabled  in  an  instant  to  solve  any  doubt  that 
may  arise  in  the  course  of  their  labors.  In  schools  and  families,  it  cannot 
fail  to  be  useful,  equally  to  teacher  and  pupil ;  and  even  the  accomplished 
author  may  read  it  with  advantage.  Mr.  Wilson  has  done  good  service  to 
literature  by  this  little  volume;  and  we  thank  him  for  it.  —  London  Critu. 


2  NOTICES    OF 

It  is  an  excellent  work  for  schools  and  academics,  and  for  those  who  wouJd 
become  self-taught.  —  Christian  Freeman. 

We  have  never  before  met  with  any  work  on  Punctuation  which  gave  us 
BO  great  satisfaction  as  this.  —  The  Student. 

The  best  book  [on  Punctuation]  to  be  recommended  is  this  by  Mr.  Wilsou  : 
there  is  no  other  so  elaborate  and  trustworthy.  —  Ladies'1  Repository. 

This  is  a  valuable  manual.  .  .  .  The  work  of  Mr.  Wilson  is  well  calculated 
to  supply  the  want,  which  has  long  been  felt  to  exist,  of  a  suitable  text-boob 
upon  Punctuation.  —  Boston  Daily  Journal. 

We  advise  any  one,  who  wishes  to  understand  thoroughly  the  whole  art 
aud  mystery  of  Punctuation  and  Proof-reading,  to  get  this  volume.  —  Chris 
tian  Register. 

A  more  elegantly  printed  book  than  this  little  volume  it  would  be  difficult 
to  find.  Mr.  Wilson  has  evidently  bestowed  upon  it  the  best  workmanship 
of  his  hand,  as  well  as  of  his  mind.  —  Boston  Post. 

This  treatise  of  Mr.  Wilson,  a  thorough  practical  printer,  is  the  btst  wo 
have  ever  seen,  and  in  fact  the  only  one  we  have  ever  seen  worth  having.  - 
Chronotype. 

We  invite  attention  to  this  truly  admirable  work.  It  is  one  which  no 
printer  can  afford  to  want,  while  to  ordinary  English  scholars  its  importance 
IB  incalculable.  —  Belfast  (Ire.)  News-Letter. 

A  work  which  should  be  in  the  possession  of  every  student  who  aspires 
even  to  write  a  letter.  ...  It  is  a  perfect  guide  in  all  matters  covered  by  the 
title. —  Water-cure  Journal. 

This  is  a  useful  and  valuable  work  on  English  Punctuation,  and  every  one 
can  read  it  with  profit  and  pleasure.  .  .  .  The  subject  is  treated  in  an  agreeable, 
Instructive,  and  entertaining  manner.  —  Boston  Daily  Atlas. 

A  very  useful  and  carefully  executed  treatise  on  a  subject  justly  claiming 
attention,  and  commonly  too  much  neglected.  .  .  .  The  classes  aie  so  large 
who  feel  their  want  of  this  kind  of  instruction,  that  we  must  anticipate  for 
our  author  the  success  which  its  merits  deserve.  —  London  Inquirer. 

This  work  seems  to  us  worthy  of  being  in  the  hands  of  every  letter-writer, 
Buthor,  printer,  editor,  and  teacher.  .  .  .  The  work  of  Mr.  Wilson  shows  much 
familiarity  with  the  principles  of  language,  and  the  examples  with  which  h« 
Illustrates  his  text  are  well  chosen.  —  Springfield  Daily  Republican. 

This  is  a  very  neatly  printed  volume,  on  a  subject  much  neglected,  and 
rery  imperfectly  understood,  even  by  accomplished  scholars.  .  .  .  This  treatise 
appears  to  have  been  prepared  with  great  care  and  accuracy,  and  deserves  a 
circulation  as  wide  as  the  country.  —  Liberator. 

From  a  sareful  examination  of  the  work,  we  hesitate  not  to  pronounce  It 
one  of  the  most  valuable  treatises  in  the  English  language.  We  trust  it  will 
be  adopted  as  a  text-book  in  all  the  institutions  in  the  country.  —  Prisoners' 
Pnend. 


TREATISE    ON    PUNCTUATION  3 

If  every  author  and  letter-writer  could  be  put  In  possession  of  this  perfect 
little  work,  printers  and  correctors  of  the  press  would  canonize  Mr.  Wilson 
forthwith ;  for  it  would  create  a  new  era  in  their  profession.  —  JMunthly  Reli~ 
gious  Magazine. 

The  whole  system  is  so  simply  and  thoroughly  explainel  In  this  book  of 
Mr.  Wilson's,  that  any  one  may  clearly  comprehend  the  whole  system  ol 
Punctuation  by  a  careful  perusal  and  study  of  this  book.  We  warmly  recom 
mend  it  to  all  persons.  —  Newport  Daily  News. 

This  very  excellent  work  should  be  in  the  hands  of  every  aspirant  to  a 
true  and  correct  method  of  English  Punctuation.  .  .  .  The  Appendix  and 
Hints  on  Proof-reading,  with  an  exemplification  of  typographical  marks,  are 
alone  worth  the  price  of  the  book.  —  New-York  Day-book. 

My  dear  Sir,  —  I  have  carefully  read  your  volume  on  English  Punctuation, 
and  consider  it  a  most  excellent  treatise.     It  places  the  whole  subject  upon 
which  you  write  on  a  surer  basis  than  any  work  I  have  ever  before  seen.  - 
Extract  of  a  Letter  from  tlie  Rev.  R.  C.  Water  ston. 

Dear  Sir,  —  Many  thanks  for  your  excellent  "  Treatise  on  English  Punc 
tuation."  We  have  long  needed  a  work  which  could  show  the  philosophy 
and  common  sense  of  this  department  of  letters.  Your  book  meets  the  want 
fully.  It  is  a  most  scholar-like  production,  and  I  hope  every  writer  will  oe 
familiar  with  it. —  Extract  of  a  Letter  from  the  Rev.  Charles  Brooks. 

We  remember  purchasing  an  English  edition  of  this  work  some  yeara 
eince,  and  prizing  it  so  highly  that  we  tried  several  times,  without  success, 
to  replace  it,  after  it  had  disappeared  from  our  collection.  .  .  .  Not  only  to 
professional  authors,  teachers,  and  letter-writers,  but  to  the  intelligent  pub 
lic  at  large,  this  work  especially  commends  itself.  —  Boston  Transcript. 

.  .  .  Such  was  the  experience,  also,  of  a  graduate  from  our  excellent  Uni 
versity,  who  said  that  he  had  acquired  more  useful  hints  on  Punctuation  from 
a  few  moments  given  to  the  perusal  of  this  book  in  the  intervals  of  leisure, 
than  he  had  from  all  the  attention,  voluntary  or  acquired,  of  an  entire  course 
of  collegiate  study.  —  Evening  Traveller. 

It  contains  all  the  necessary  directions  for  self-taught  writers  and  editors, 
a  very  large  class  in  this  country,  and  is  a  book  of  a  kind  absolutely  necessary 
to  be  read  by  every  type-setter  and  proof-reader  who  intends  to  be  master  o( 
his  art.  .  .  .  Every  person,  who  intends  publishing  his  own  productions  or 
those  of  others,  should  have  Mr.  Wilson's  book  upon  his  writing-desk.  — 
American  Whig  Review. 

It  is  the  best  book  on  the  subject  with  which  we  are  acquainted.  The 
rules  are  deduced  from  the  best  usage,  and  commend  themselves  to  the 
judgment  of  practical  men,  and  men  of  taste.  The  directions  for  Proof 
reading  and  Correcting,  appended  to  the  main  work,  are  concise  and  clear. 
.  .  .  We  would  recommend  to  every  person,  who  in  public  or  private  writes 
the  English  language,  to  procure  a  copy  of  this  treatise  —  Quitter/  Patriot 


4  NOTICES. 

Dear  Sir,  —  We  have  used  your  "  Treatise  on  Punctuation  "  in  my  school 
for  more  than  two  years,  as  the  text-book  on  that  subject.  I  feel  it  due  to 
you  to  say,  that  it  has  given  me  great  satisfaction.  In  its  arrangement,  its 
fUlness,  in  the  great  number  of  exercises,  and  the  demand  which  they  make 
on  the  learner  for  study,  and  in  its  completeness,  your  work  seems  to  me  to 
be  all  that  could  be  desired  in  such  a  treatise  —  From  JV.  Tilling/last,  Sag., 
Principal  of  the  Normal  School  at  Bridyewater. 

Our  educational  library  has  lately  been  enriched  by  a  copy  of  Wilson's 
"  Treatise  on  English  Punctuation."  We  have  read  it  through  with  great 
pleasure,  and  find  little  or  nothing  in  it  opposed  to  our  own  notions,  but 
much  that  will  be  useful  to  us  and  to  every  teacher  and  author.  .  .  .  The 
definitions  are  generally  clear  and  simple,  and  the  exercises  such  as  are  appro 
priate  and  sufficient:  any  one  of  ordinary  intelligence  can  understand  them. 
Besides  valuable  instruction  in  regard  to  Punctuation,  there  is  much 
other  matter,  which  none  but  a  practised  proof-reader  could  give.  —  Common- 
school  Journal. 

Mr.  Wilson  has  just  issued  another  volume,  to  be  very  earnestly  recom 
mended  to  all.  . . .  The  Appendix,  among  other  useful  matter,  contains  capital 
and  much-needed  remarks  and  directions  on  Proof-reading.  We  have  heard 
good  judges  speak  of  this  manual  as  an  "  authority;  "  and  such  is  our  own 
opinion.  Were  it  thoroughly  studied  and  followed,  what  improvements 
would  follow  in  all  manner  of  manuscripts !  what  songs  of  joy  would  resound 
throughout  the  printing  establishments  of  the  land!  and  what  blessed 
changes  for  the  better  would  be  witnessed  in  periodicals  and  newspapers! 
It  is  an  excellent  book  for  schools,  and  no  family  should  be  without  it  for 
purposes  of  reference.  — New- York  Christian  Inquirer, 

In  itself  a  most  beautiful  specimen  of  the  noble  art  of  printing,  this  book 
is  designed  to  secure  accuracy,  elegance,  and  lucidness  in  works  that  issue 
from  the  press.  .  .  .  All  necessary  information  upon  this  important  subject 
will  be  found,  presented  in  a  very  simple  and  forcible  way,  in  Mr.  Wilson's 
"  Treatise  on  Punctuation."  It  is  an  exceedingly  valuable  book ;  and  a  copy 
of  it  should  be  at  the  service  of  every  one  who  is  directly  or  indirectly  inte 
rested  in  the  large  subject  of  which  it  treats,  —  all  who  have  to  write  important 
letters,  records,  and  documents,  as  well  as  those  who  write  for  the  press  .  .  . 
Ita  title  is  a  very  full  exposition  of  its  contents;  and  a  reader  of  it  vill  bo 
i  qually  surprised  and  instructed  by  the  amount  of  knowledge  which  its  peru- 
s.il  will  impart.  We  heartily  commend  it  to  the  masters  and  pupils  of  all  our 
high  schools  and  academies.  —  Christian  Examiner. 


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